Not Alone Anymore
by Messrmarauder017
Summary: Five years after it all ends, Harry returns to his first home. But he’s not alone and old faces’ he never thought he’d see again resurface.
1. Home Again

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore.  
  
Summary: Five years after it all ends, Harry returns to his first home. But he's not alone and old faces' he never thought he'd see again resurface.  
  
~~~  
  
It had been five years since Voldemort had fallen for the final time; five years since the Wizarding world had to fear death from walking out their front doors; five years since Hogwarts had graduated a hero; five years since Harry James Potter had left it all behind.  
  
Now here Harry silently stood at the gates of the school he'd more than a few times named 'home'. In his arms sat a 4½-year-old girl with waste length loosely curled jet-black hair. Her eyes shone a vibrant, cheerful golden colour that made anyone who looked in them smile warmly.  
  
Harry started to walk up the familiar roadway that led to the infamous wizarding school; the track that had been treated to Thestral drawn carriages half an hour previous. The reason for Harry being here still eluded him. Oh he knew the job he was going into; the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as well as the Duelling instructor. How he got here though was what ticked him off.  
  
Minerva McGonagall had found him four months ago, much to his dismay. Of course, Minerva being who she was was straight to the point. She needed a new DADA professor and duelling instructor. So who better than Harry? Right? Harry had turned the job down immediately. Although this caused his old Transfigurations Professor to annoy him even more.  
  
So, after 3 ½ months of constant badgering, annoying speeches, pleading and simple, logical reasoning, Harry had relented, albeit grudgingly.  
  
The green eyed man had reached the front door 10 minutes later to find them opening on their own, welcoming him back. Sighing, he crossed over the threshold. He was not 5 ft within the castle when a familiar 'humming' sound played the back of his mind. He chuckled lightly.  
  
"Good to be back old girl. I missed you too." He whispered to the castle itself whilst patting a nearby wall before moving on towards the Great Hall.  
  
These doors did not open for him this time, for this he was thankful. He could hear the excited buzz of students and teachers enjoying their welcoming feast behind the large, finely carved doors.  
  
Harry looked down to the girl in his arms and couldn't help but smile and she grinned back up at him with a mischievous glint in her young eyes. "Should we make a big entrance, Lily? Your Grandfather would expect nothing short of us..." He joked and the girl bounced happily in the confines of her fathers' arms.  
  
"Yeah Daddy!" She said in excitement. Harry laughed at the child's enthusiasm.  
  
"Ok. You have to help me though. Hand out, like this..." He proceeded to stretch out his arm in front of him, his hand forming a claw like shape. The child mirrored his actions. "Right. On three say 'adaperio'. One... two... Three!"  
  
"Adaperio!" They both called out loudly and the doors burst open.  
  
The hall had fallen silent and Harry looked down at Lily. "Now that's team work." He high-fived a small hand, turned and saw a smiling headmistress looking down at them.  
  
"Ah, Headmistress! You must forgive my lateness. I was instructed to walk up the drive because little Miss here wanted to, and I quote, 'See the pretty flowers'." He bowed dramatically causing Lily to bow too, much to her displeasure. A few scattered chuckles were heard from the staff members.  
  
"It is quite alright Mr Potter. If you and your young friend would like to come up to the head table and take your seats... I will get the formal introductions out of the way." She addressed her former student and his beautiful child with a respect-filled smile.  
  
As the pair made their way to their seats, whispers broke out over the hall. Harry simply ignored them. He'd managed well enough in his youth. When they were seated finally, McGonagall rose from her seat and addressed the students.  
  
"Well, it seems our wait has ended. Your new DADA professor this year will be Mr Potter. Mr Potter will also be Head of Gryffindor house as well as duelling instructor. He deserves respect and has worked damn hard to gain it. You will show him this courtesy; I expect nothing less from Hogwarts students." Applause swept across the hall like wild fire, but none as loud as the Gryffindor table. "Now! Carry on with dinner!" The headmistress said as the applause died down and everyone realised they still had food on their plates.  
  
The noise of students conversing with one another quickly filled the hall as Harry and Lily got acquainted with new and old Professors until it was time for them to leave and head up to Harry and Lily's suite. He had said his good nights to his colleagues and exited the hall, walking with a purpose to the third floor corridor Dumbledore had 'conveniently' forgotten to inform the students was safe again.  
  
Harry and Lily had stopped at a painting of Merlin himself and the young wizard smiled politely.  
  
"Ah, young Harry. And oh my, who is this? Another Lily Potter. Very beautiful I must say." The painting winked at the blushing girl stood beside Harry and the portrait laughed.  
  
"Good evening Merlin you old coot. I'd love to chat, but Lily needs to get to bed. It's getting late." He said with a smile to the painting he'd spoke to a lot in his final two years at Hogwarts. "Carnation." Harry spoke clearly the password  
  
"Quite right. Mr Dobby; the House Elf? He said he left the thing you asked him to leave out on the breakfast bar. Good night now." The Portrait swung open to let Harry and Lily through. Once inside, Harry picked up his daughter and sat her up on the breakfast bar. He picked up the small goblet and gave it to her.  
  
"Lily, come on. Drink it all sweetie." He urged the girl to drink, which she did, a look of disgust played on her young features when the goblet had been emptied.  
  
"S'orible daddy!" She complained with a huff. Harry laughed lightly.  
  
"I know darling. It's for the best though. Now! Bath time deary." The girl's eyes widened and she tried to jump down from the bar but Harry caught her round her middle. "You don't want to be smelly do you? They'll all call you smelly Lily, they will." He teased as he carried the wriggling child into the bathroom.  
  
He sat her on the toilet with the lid down and pointed a finger at her in a warning manner. "Stay." He ordered and proceeded to turn on the taps to the unnaturally large bath.  
  
The whole bathroom was made out in black marble; the bath, sink, shower, toilet, floor and the tiles on the wall. The taps and drains (plugholes) were brass. It was exquisite. When the bathwater was at the correct temperature, Harry rid Lily of her clothing and lowered her carefully in to the warm water. Almost immediately, the child started splashing her father.  
  
20 minutes and the loss of Harry's shirt and trousers later, they were both sat on beanbags in front of the fire drying off.  
  
"Must you drench me 'every' time?" He asked the golden-eyed girl, already knowing the reply.  
  
"Splashy splashy!" She clapped her hands together in glee causing Harry to laugh again.  
  
"I'll splashy splashy you in a minute. Come here, you need your pyjama's on." He managed to wrestle her into her pyjamas within 10 minutes. A new record!  
  
There was a knock at the door interrupting them and Lily jumped up, running over to open it. Before Harry could stop her, the girl had the door open and she was looking up at three wide-eyed men.  
  
"Daddy!" She called out and Harry came up behind her, scooping her up in his arms.  
  
"Calm down Lily." He cooed, then looked up at the men, his own eyes widening. "N-no... It's not possible..." He took a step back from the door and made to close it, but one of the men stepped in the room. He was tall with hazel green eyes, his black hair wild and seemingly untameable.  
  
"Harry." The man said softly. He looked at the younger wizard and the child with love in his eyes. "Harry, please. We're here to talk to you." He reached out a hand to Harry but the latter retreated further, clutching onto the girl tightly.  
  
"No. Leave us alone... Why did you come here? NO!" He shook his head trying to will them away, but the men stayed put. Unshed tears welled up in his eyes. He would not cry. A tear got passed his defences and he felt a small hand brush it away. His eyes opened and stared into the golden ones of his child.  
  
"Daddy? Why you cry? Did the strange men hurt you?" She asked him.  
  
"No, love." Harry kissed her forehead before turning back to the men who were now all in the room, with the door closed firmly. "Why are you doing this to me? Leave us alone." He spoke firmly, but his eyes showed the hurt, confusion and sorrow etched in his heart.  
  
"Harry." A man with sandy hair and slightly tanned skin stepped forward.  
  
"No! You died! I saw you die!" He turned to the last man. "You too. I was there! You can't be here!" He got a tighter hold on his daughter and moved over to one of the beanbags he'd been using before.  
  
"We're very much alive, Harry. Remus didn't die in the war. He was in a coma. By the time he came round you'd been gone 5 years. Sirius performed a spell to go back through the veil after a lot of time spent looking for one that was relatively fool proof. And I followed him. Harry, you have to believe us." The man with the unruly hair tried, his eyes pleading.  
  
"I'm happy. I'm with my child and I'm happy. DAMMIT WHY NOW?" Harry roared, frightening the child in his arms. His hard eyes immediately softened. "I'm sorry sweety. Shh, don't cry Lily." He whispered to the girl who was whimpering quietly.  
  
"Harry," The sandy-haired man spoke up softly. "Please Harry. You're the most powerful wizard alive; do you think we'd risk our lives coming here as we are if we weren't thinking about telling you the truth?" He took a step forward and Harry kept his eyes trained on Lily. "Harry, ask Lily. She can tell if we are lying or not." At Lily's name, Harry's head snapped up and he held the girl more tightly to his chest, though careful not to cause her discomfort.  
  
Closing his eyes for a moment, Harry concentrated and let down one layer of his defences. When he opened them, the sandy-haired man had gasped out loud and looked at Harry in disbelief.  
  
"W-why?" He stammered. The other two men were now looking confused.  
  
"It was the only way to keep Lily safe; to keep her sane." He looked down at the bundle in his arms again. "I'd do anything for her. Even that! It's the least I could do for allowing her father to die."  
  
"B-but, I didn't die. I could have kept her company on full moons. I could have-"  
  
"But you weren't there Remus! I thought you had died. Our bond! I severed it, I concentrated solely on taking care of Lily. Oh I hurt because of you but I wasn't about to let it consume me. I couldn't feel you for two whole years. Then I simply gave up hope. My mark is still there, though the bond is not. Remus I had to do what I did. She... I... I couldn't let her go through the same pain you did as you were growing up." He said, almost as a whisper. He'd allowed a few tears to flow down his cheeks and cursed himself for his weakness.  
  
"What's going on? What are you talking about?" Demanded the man with the long black hair and blue eyes.  
  
"H-Harry allowed Lily to bite him... On the full moon." Remus had explained as though it pained him greatly.  
  
"You did WHAT?" The first man with the unruly hair yelled. When Lily had flinched at the tone, Harry glared at the man.  
  
"Keep your tone respectable or I will throw you from the room. I don't care who the hell you are." The young father said calmly and then stood up. He walked over to a door at the other side of the room and opened it. "Come on Lily. I think you've had enough excitement for one evening." He tucked his daughter into bed and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"G'night daddy." The child yawned and her eyes shut slowly. Silently, he left the room, casting a protection spell over the bed before he closed the door.  
  
Without even acknowledging the three men, Harry made his way to a fairly large cabinet. Upon opening it, he retrieved two bottles of a purple potion. He walked to the kitchen area and took out two goblets; after taking off the stasis charm he'd placed on the potion's he emptied their contents into each goblet.  
  
"Lupus Potion. I am the only one capable of brewing it, as no one even knows of it's existence yet. Take it." He spoke to Remus without looking at him and drank his own potion down in three gulps. The older wizard walked over to the breakfast bar where the potion was sitting; smoke billowing over the brim. He picked up the goblet and drank down the contents.  
  
Gathering his wits about him, Harry turned to face the men with a neutral face. "I did what I did because I. Had. To. Protect. My. Daughter!" He spoke through gritted teeth. "You think I would allow the ministry to take her away from me because she was born werewolf? I did the only thing I could do. The ministry can take a werewolf child from a human parent. It's the law dammit. You know what, every fucker knows that. But if the parent is a werewolf then the ministry has no viable cause to remove the child from his or her care." He paced around in front of the shocked men.  
  
"Even IF Remus had been here. The ministry would have taken her away from us. I was human, the boy-who-fucking-lived no less, and as far as they were concerned, Lily was a risk. You have to understand. I only allowed her to bite me because they were coming to take her away!" He stopped pacing and looked directly at Remus.  
  
"What would you have done if your pup was about to be ripped away from you? Answer me that Remus." Sighing, Harry slumped on the sofa and put his head in his hands.  
  
"The fact still remains that you allowed an infant werewolf bite you. Lily could be executed for that!" The man with the messy hair spoke quietly and Harry's head snapped up so fast, his neck cracked.  
  
"The fact means exactly nothing to me. When I was born... HAD the ministry tried to remove me from 'your' care, would you have allowed them to? Would you have done all you can to keep me home with you and mom? Well? Or have you spent so many years dead that your parental instincts have lessened slightly." He spat, looking away from the man he'd once recognised as his father.  
  
"Of course I wouldn't have let them take you away! But we're not talking about you and me. We're talking about Lily and you! You should not have allowed her to bite you, no matter what!" It happened so fast that the man hadn't seen it coming at all. Harry had jumped up from his seat and punched the man square in the jaw, knocking him to the floor.  
  
"I PROTECTED MY DAUGHTER! I didn't want her to grow up with someone other than parent... like I did." He didn't care if the blow was low, the man deserved it. "How dare you lecture me on parental issues? You have all of 15 month experience!"  
  
"Harry, he's just worried about you," Remus glared at the floored man. "'Aren't' you James?" James got up and brushed the dust from his robes.  
  
"I know I don't have much experience with being a Father. But that's hardly my fault is it?" the man ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to do that whenever he was nervous now and not when he was trying to show off, like Harry remembered seeing in that pensive back in fifth year.  
  
"You will not question my actions, you will not mention any of this to anyone outside this room and you will never raise your voice in my daughter's presence again. Is that clear?" Harry growled out through gritted teeth, but the man did answer.  
  
"Harry, he won't. Trust me." The third man smiled at the young father and Harry was reminded of his Godfather before he'd died.  
  
"I've missed you Sirius." Harry whispered and was rewarded when the man swept him up in a bone-crushing hug.  
  
"I've missed you too Harry."  
  
"Daddy?" The sleepy voice of Lily Potter was heard from across the room and Harry's attention was immediately on her.  
  
"What's the matter sweetheart?" He knelt down in front of her, worry in his eyes.  
  
"Nuffin'. I heard voices, came out here. Saw you hugging one of those men. Who is he? And him?" She pointed at James. "Heh, he looks like you daddy" She giggled but as her eyes fell on Remus, all her giggling stopped and she just stared. After a minute of silence she released herself from Harry's hold and walked over to the amber-eyed man, looking at him in curiosity.  
  
She recognised him some how but couldn't place his identity anywhere. Frowning at the less than helpful information her eyes were giving her, she grasped onto the front of his robes and pulled him down into a kneeling position. Then she ran her hands over his face as she wracked her brain trying to remember him. Finally, she decided that she might be able to recognise his scent better than sight or touch, so she lowered her sense dulling defences and immediately her eye widened.  
  
"Daddy?" She whispered before launching herself at the kneeling man. Remus was too shocked to respond at first but he soon shook himself out of his daze and hugged her back tightly. Harry watched on, smiling happily at the two in front of him.  
  
Things would be ok now. He wasn't alone anymore.  
  
~~~  
  
I wrote this god knows how many months ago. I actually thought I'd lost it but the other day I stumbled upon it once more and thought I might as well put it up here.  
  
To be honest, I'm not sure what to think of it myself but hey ho.  
  
Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	2. Wake up Daddy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Wake up Daddy!  
  
~~~  
  
The next morning Lily chose to get up at the ungodly hour of 6 am. Not only that, but she chose to run into her Daddy's bedroom and jump on his large and 'very' bouncy bed shouting "Wake up Daddy! Wake up Daddy! Wanna see Paddy! Wake up Daddy!" The man still lying in bed chuckled at the over- energetic girl, scooping her up in his arms and tickling her.  
  
"A child of almost five should not be able to rhyme that good." He grinned and lifted her up off of his quilt-laden body, depositing her on the edge of the bed so he could have room. With stiff bones, he managed to swing his legs over the side of the bed and sit there beside his daughter. "Why, Lily dearest, did you think I would be happy with getting up at 6 am?" He rested his elbows on his thighs, clasping his hands together.  
  
The girl giggled some more. "I wanna see Paddy! I wanna see Daddy! Get up Daddy! Get up Daddy!" she squealed and jumped from the bed as her father lunged at her she figured for another tickle-fest and ran from the room laughing like a crazed loon. Harry had laughed along with his four and a half year old daughter as he chased her around the living area.  
  
Just as he managed to get a grip on her wriggling form, there was a knock at the door. Both Potters stopped their laughter and stared at the door. A long minute and a number of knocks later, Lily had had enough of standing still. Instead she wriggled out of her fathers grasp and started running around again singing "I wanna see Paddy! I wanna see Daddy! Get up Daddy! I wanna see Paddy!" over and over again.  
  
Having given up on trying to catch the hyperactive child, Harry stood up and paying no mind to his attire – a pair of boxers - he walked over to the Portrait hole/door way and opened it.  
  
"I wanna see Paddy! I wanna see Daddy!" Lily was still crowing in the background and the three men on the other side of the door burst out laughing. Harry scowled at them from behind his mop of bed-tidy hair.  
  
"Lily!" Harry called out to the child. "You want to see Paddy and Daddy so much, but I don't think they want to see a noisy little pup, do you?" Lily stopped her singing in an instant and looked up at her father with an innocent smile.  
  
"Noisy?" she looked past Harry and saw the three men stood just outside the door. In a second she'd bolted from her position in front of the fire to the door and proceeded to jump into Remus' arms.  
  
"Daddy! Paddy! Daddy! Paddy!" she squealed with glee.  
  
"Lily!" Harry spoke quickly and firmly but the girl just looked at him with that same 'I'm-so-innocent-butter-wouldn't-melt' smile. The boxer-clad wizard groaned and gestured for the men to enter his chambers before closing the door. He watched as Remus carried his daughter over to the sofa and sat her down on his knee as he stared at her with total and utter adoration etched out clearly on his face. He smiled at the scene.  
  
"Ok, I'm going for a shower. Lily, behave yourself or no pancakes for breakfast and no... you won't be asking Paddy to sneak you some because if Paddy does Paddy will spend the next week as a chair." He grinned at the scowl he'd elicited from his godfather and the giggle that came from his child. He also saw Remus and James – he wasn't sure whether to call him Dad or James just yet – bite their lips to keep from laughing. "Now, I'll be all of 15 minutes." And he walked back into his room but before disappearing he pointed a warning finger at the young girl. "Behave." Then he was gone.  
  
He closed his bedroom door behind him and slipped out of his boxers, throwing them haphazardly into a near-by corner where the house elves were sure to pick them up later on with the other laundry. He then made his way through to his en-suite bathroom noting with approval that it was very similar to the one that he'd used with Lily the previous night.  
  
After turning on the water and allowing it to heat to the perfect temperature, he stepped under the spray and lost himself in the memory of his 7th year at Hogwarts. He'd been up on the 8th floor talking to Merlin's portrait about his life at that point in time.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
"Well Harry what do you want to do? I dare say Voldemort is a powerful foe and you should dispose of him soon but your heart will be there afterwards. What will you do with it then?" The man in the portrait asked Harry as he looked down from his position on the wall only to gain a shrug from the 7th year.  
  
Harry was sat on the floor with his back up against the wall, knees bent and forearms resting on them. He clasped his hands together and sighed, looking up at his ancestor.  
  
"I don't know, Merlin. I've felt a pull to him for the past year. I can't describe it. I think though, I think I'm in love with him." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "It's not like the crush I had on Cho in fifth year. This feeling, it goes deeper; it runs deeper. I think its love, but it's so indescribable I can't tell. My head draws a blank whenever I go near him. His smell, it's intoxicating..."  
  
Merlin's portrait chuckled and Harry scowled at it. This only resulted in the old wizard laughing harder.  
  
"What's so funny Merlin?" A new voice called from around a corner. Both Merlin and Harry looked in the direction it came from and after seeing who it was Merlin was positively beaming and Harry had his head in his arms chanting 'No no no this can't be happening' over and over in his mind whilst shaking his head.  
  
"Nothing young man." Cried the portrait jovially. "Nothing at all. Just having a rather interesting conversation with our Harry here about-"  
  
"Say a word and I'll Incendio your arse you old coot." Harry pointed a dangerous looking finger at the portrait along with a hint of pleading laced in the glare he sent. The man in the frame merely grinned cheekily back at him and placed one of his frail looking hands over his heart.  
  
"I promise that I will not speak one word of you-"Harry waved a hand and a small apple appeared inside the picture, actually in Merlin's mouth effectively shutting him up.  
  
"You don't want to finish that do you Merlin?" he cocked his head, smirking slightly. The man in the portrait nodded and Harry waved the apple away.  
  
"What's going on here Merlin?" the man from before asked, a smile on his lips.  
  
"Going on? My dear Remus why would anything be going on? I'm talking with my young friend here. Very powerful he is... Well, if I were alive I'm sure he'd give me a run for my Galleons." He snuck worried glances at the floor- bound wizard and saw that he still had his finger out. He glared at the offending finger as if it would be the death of him. Remus laughed at his attitude.  
  
"So, Harry..." Remus said as he sat down next to his student. "Whose smell is intoxicating?" He saw Harry's eyes widen then turn away quickly, muttering something like 'Not now, no no' and grinned. While Harry was otherwise engaged in his own ramblings, Remus chanced a look at the Portrait of Merlin and saw that the old man had a grin on his face that stretched from one ear to the other.  
  
The newly re-instated Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts raised an eyebrow at the portrait then allowed the other eyebrow to rise as realisation dawned upon him. He pointed at Harry, then to himself whiles looking at Merlin for confirmation. The man in the portrait nodded with his grin widening.  
  
"Harry." Remus spoke softly, getting the 7th years attention. "Come on, let's get something to eat. I didn't see you in the Hall at dinner." He got up, Harry following not long after and after nodded his goodbye to Merlin's portrait, Remus lead Harry down the way he came up and straight to the staff quarters.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
"I never did get the old fool back for that little slip." Harry muttered to himself as he massaged some shampoo into his hair.  
  
"He did us both a favour and I sure as hell don't regret it." The same voice from his memory spoke up from behind him again, startling Harry out of his thoughts. Though he didn't turn around, he knew who the owner of the voice was.  
  
"Remus." He breathed, before rinsing his hair free of the shampoo suds. "Did you want something, Remus?" he asked, still not looking back. He waited for half a minute before Remus actually answered.  
  
"I do, but that will wait." It came out more strangled than he'd hoped it would but the site of Harry naked in the shower was just too much for him and it took all of his self-control not to jump he younger wizard right there. Shaking his head free of those thoughts – for now – he noticed Harry was now looking at him curiously.  
  
*Surely he knows what he does to me.* he thought with a mental sigh.  
  
"Lily's clothes; I can't find them." The werewolf spoke up finally.  
  
"I'll be out in a minute to get them." Harry replied softly, reaching for a nearby towel and wrapping it around his waist. Remus followed the others movements intently, seemingly not realising his staring was making the younger wizard fidget. "Remus?" The soft, silky voice almost cut through his self control right then, but he just barely managed to hold himself together enough to get out of there and rejoin his daughter and friends.  
  
When he arrived back in the living area, he quickly closed Harry's bedroom door and leaned against it, breathing heavily.  
  
"You only had to ask for the squirt's clothes Remus..." He heard the teasing voice of Sirius Black and looked over to find both James and Sirius wearing identical grins and Lily not paying any attention to any of them. The werewolf then proceeded to scowl at Sirius.  
  
"Seeing ones mate in a situation like that after years of being apart... well, it's a tad distracting, Padfoot." He picked up a pillow and threw it at his now laughing friends.  
  
~~~  
  
(A little extra note, I made a little mistake, so I had to repost this chapter. It was just a mistake with Lily's age, nothing major.)  
  
I want to thank 'BipolarGirl' for her suggestions regarding this chapter. I simply could not think of anything to write to follow the first one so this fine person was gracious enough to offer a little advice.  
  
I am forever in your debt.  
  
Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	3. Grandma Lily

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Grandma Lily  
  
~~~  
  
Sighing, Harry attempted to rid his mind of the image his former mate left with him. The sight of Remus, his eyes laden with barely contained lust and desire was almost too much for Harry to take. All he wanted to do was jump the other werewolf right there and then; pretend the last five years hadn't happened at all. Instead, he settled for drying himself and getting dressed, figuring he'd sort it out at a later date. He pulled on some loose black trousers, a black tank top and a plan white shirt with only four of the buttons buttoned up.  
  
When he'd retrieved his daughter's clothes for the day he made his way back to the main living area of his chambers and as he entered, he saw Remus, James and Sirius all sat on the sofa with their gazes facing towards the far wall. Opening the door a little wider, he stopped dead at the scene he laid his eyes on.  
  
His daughter was in the arms of a small woman with auburn hair flowing down her back. The child didn't look too happy about being picked up by the strange woman but 'played nice. Harry suspected that she was only behaved because he'd told her to behave or fear the lack of pancakes for breakfast, otherwise Harry had absolutely no doubt that the four year old would be standing on top of the coffee table singing her little heart outs.  
  
"Pup." He called out, getting the attention of everyone in the room. His daughter looked in his direction and her expression brightened considerably. She wriggled out of the woman's hold and ran to her father, attaching herself to his legs. Harry looked down ad the head of black hair, ruffling it affectionately with his hand. He then looked up to the now party of four sat on the sofa's.  
  
"I asked you to watch her, not introduce her to strangers." He spoke coolly to the group before reaching down and hoisting Lily up into his arms then carrying her to the bean-bags still sat in front of the fire place.  
  
"Harry, Lily isn't exactly a stranger." James said, sitting on the edge of his seat. "She's the girl's grandmother for Merlin's sake. Give her a chance!" If Harry heard what James had said, he didn't outwardly acknowledge it, instead he dressed his child, getting her ready for the busy day they both had coming up.  
  
"Harry please!" The woman from before spoke up desperately but Harry didn't respond. He pulled up the child's tights then repeating the process with the skirt he'd picked out for her to wear. He then turned her around so she faced him. She looked a little disgruntled at being dressed in front of the other adults but didn't complain. She'd sensed her father's mood as he'd started to dress her and at the moment, it wasn't something to be messed with.  
  
"How do you want your hair today, Pup?" asked Harry, now sitting on the edge of the coffee table. The girl shrugged. "Alright then. I'll stick it in a pony tail and when we go out today, all the leaves that have fallen from the trees can be blown into it and it'll get all scraggly and horrible. So, you'll have an extra long bath tonight." He teased gently then laughed at the look of disgust that played on her face at the prospect of being in the bath longer than she absolutely had to be.  
  
"Um... braid?" The child suggested with a smile. She saw Harry put on a mock- thinking face and frowned at his indecision, completely forgetting the chuckling adults around the pair. "Stop if it hurts Daddy." She said cheerfully as she patted her father's head in an almost patronising manner.  
  
It was at that moment that both Sirius and Remus burst out laughing. The sentence that had spilled from the girls mouth had been simply too much for their self control.  
  
"Alright then missy!" Harry exclaimed happily, ignoring his daughter's remark as well as the two wizards currently leaning on one another for support in hysterics to his left, and picked up his wand. He waved it once over Lily's hair and it immediately went from the tangled mess he always named 'bed hair' to the shiny, loosely curled mass it had been the previous night. Then, with a final wave of his wand, the hair braided itself and tied at the end with a white ribbon.  
  
"Now, Pup. Go brush your teeth. We're leaving in five minutes." He watched her retreating, then disappearing form as it stepped into the bathroom.  
  
"Where are you two going today Harry?" Sirius' voice cut through his musing and Harry turned to look at his Godfather. The man was wiping his eyes free of the tears he'd shed whilst laughing at Lily.  
  
"Fear not dearest Dogfather." He grinned at the other man's scowl. "We will be eating before we depart. I'm taking Lily to Diagon Alley and since classes don't start until tomorrow; I'm getting as much time in with her as I can." Suddenly a thought struck him. "Come to think of it, who'll be looking after her? I don't want her around any unfamiliar faces." He looked over at the now calm Remus. "Will you take her while lunch please? Get to know her a bit better?" The older werewolf smiled.  
  
"Need you ask? I'd love to." He then shot an apprehensive glance at James and the woman sat beside him, and then looked back at Harry. "Harry, they just want to talk to you. They are you parent's. Just hear them out, please?" He said in a pleading voice. The younger wizard sighed and turned to the pair behind him.  
  
"You have to understand this is more than a little difficult for me. I mean with Sirius and Remus, I can grasp the concept of their being back a lot better." A smile flickered over his lips. "Sirius because he'd been the only decent father figure I've ever known." He noticed James' saddened expression and sighed again. "James, I'm not faulting you for not being able to bring me up, because I know that given the chance you would have done. But you didn't get that chance and I'm saying that when Sirius was finally out of Azkaban, he became a sort of father figure for me... once he got out from under Molly's watchful eye that is." He heard Sirius snort but continued to look at the couple before him.  
  
"And Remus... well, him being my mate made the whol-'' he was cut off however by the woman jumping up from her seat.  
  
"Mate?" She exclaimed. "What kind of mate? Please tell me that my son and you are only mates in a purely platonic fashion Remus." Her eyes were fixed on her school-time friend and the man shifted uncomfortable under her gaze.  
  
"You mean to tell me she doesn't know anything?" Harry asked whilst looking at James. The man opened and closed his mouth and Harry thought he was doing an awfully good impression of a goldfish. "Why would she even be here if she didn't know? How did you think you were going to answer her when she asked where Lily's mother is?" He rose to his feet. "Why weren't things explained to her before she arrived?" He demanded, still staring at his young father.  
  
"Lily's mother? What about her mother? Where is she?" Harry groaned, rolling his eyes and hitting his head with his hand. This woman was supposed to be smart! He noticed that Sirius was biting his lip to keep himself from laughing at Lil's comment (I'm referring to James' wife – Lily – as Lil's to avoid the obvious confusion I've created by naming them both Lily.) and threw Lily's pyjama's at his face.  
  
"I am her mother technically. Being in the respect that I carried her for nine month... well, eight and half anyway. I gave birth to her." He explained as if he was talking to a 6 year old but it seemed the woman didn't notice. Although Sirius was biting his lip again so Harry threw the bean bag at him to shut him up.  
  
"You're her mother? How? How can a man carry a child?" Ok, she was shocked but this was going far beyond a joke. How can one person... one person that had been in the top five in her graduation year act this, dumb? Harry ran a hand through his hair in frustration.  
  
"Think about it! I'm a 'wizard'." He pronounced each individual syllable of the word wizard as he spoke; causing the woman he was speaking to, to frown. "Magic was used to create the womb inside me so I could carry Lily."  
  
"Then who is the father?" Harry could now hear Sirius' muffled laughter through the beanbag and kicked his Godfather's feet in a vain hope that he'd shut up before Lil's blew a gasket.  
  
"Remus is the father. Obviously! We were mated! Life-mates! Soul-mates whatever the HELL you want to call it, we were it! We had sex, I got pregnant, and the war happened, I thought Remus had died, so I moved away for five years to raise Lily on my own. Now I'm back and I find out the man I loved wasn't actually dead, my godfather, who I saw die, be alive, here, not. Shutting. Up. AND the mother and father that died when I was ONE YEAR OLD alive too! Not only that! But both four years younger than me! My mother doesn't seem to be grasping the fact that I bore a child. Her grandchild! And my father is acting like a goldfish!"  
  
Sirius could now be seen hugging the beanbag tightly, causing it to shake with his muffled but still loud laughter. Even Remus had a smile playing on his lips. Harry couldn't see the funny side, the woman was infuriating!  
  
"Daddy?" the voice of Harry's daughter was heard from the direction of the bathroom and the wizards head snapped around to look at her.  
  
"Pup?" The girl walked into the room with a perplexed look on her face.  
  
"What's sex?" This time Sirius didn't care about the bean bag being there to muffle his laughter. He threw it over at the still in goldfish state James and laughed out loud... very loud. Harry sent him an annoyed look before turning back to the girl.  
  
"I'll tell you when your older pup. You ready?" She frowned at him slightly but nodded and moved closer to him, casting frightened glances at her father's godfather. Sirius was now on the floor, still laughing and in tears. Lily prodded Harry's leg, getting his attention.  
  
"Is he alright Daddy?" she pointed at the floor-bound animagus and Harry shrugged.  
  
"He will be. When he calms down and finds we've left, he'll come looking for us no doubt. Now, come on sweety, breakfast time." He picked her up and after casting a withering glance as the still hysterical Sirius, left the room. He was followed by a very pale Lily Potter and her husband James as well as the smiling form of Remus Lupin.  
  
~~~  
  
My apologies... this chapter was v.short and I aim to make future chapters longer... just give me time. I've at least tried not to make any mistakes in this chapter... if I have, please notify me and I'll curse myself for my stupidity, yet again. Enjoy!  
  
Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	4. First Kiss

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore – First Kiss  
  
Warning: Slash contact/kissing/business. If you don't like, don't read. My review boards are not here for people to banter about how they 'don't' like slash. It's there, so deal.  
  
Have a nice day :]  
  
~~~  
  
As the group walked down to the Great hall for breakfast, Harry saw Remus sneak glances at him; more times that what could legally be called normal. After the 8th glance, Hogwarts newest Defence Professor sighed in frustration and stopped walking causing James to almost bump into him.  
  
"Can you two take Lily to the Hall? Remus and I will be there in a few minutes." The young couple nodded and taking both of Lily's hands in their own, continued their walk to the Great Hall. Harry watched as the trio turned the corner at the end of the corridor before turning to face his former mate.  
  
"What's the matter Harry?" Remus asked with a perplexed expression on his face. Harry growled low in his throat, obviously annoyed at the other man's attitude.  
  
"'What's the matter Harry', he says." Cried the younger wizard throwing his arms in the air. "I realise you've just come back... I realise we haven't seen each other in 5 years and I realise that you walking in on me whilst I was in the shower wasn't exactly the most ideal place for us to be but that does not explain why you keep sneaking coy glances at me." He noted with increasing annoyance that the man before him had a silly smile plastered on his face. "What?" he demanded.  
  
"Nothing. Alright, my apologies. I have been looking at you," The older werewolf stepped up to the younger with that same silly smile on his face. "But can you blame me? I step into your bathroom and see you standing there, dripping wet, naked... I just wanted to..." He trailed off, leaving the sentence open.  
  
Harry's breath caught in his throat as he stared into those golden orbs. His mind seemed to act on its own accord and take him back to the memory that had been playing over and over since the previous night.  
  
~Flashback~  
  
The pair had made the journey from the eighth floor down to the 3rd floor, North Wing Staff quarters in total silence. All the way, Harry was mentally trying to think of as many ways that could possibly get him out of his current situation somehow; anything to get him as far away from his Defence Professor as humanly possibly. Yet so far, any and every possibility he'd come up with, he'd discarded just as quick because, when all said and done all he really wanted to do was spend more time with the man.  
  
The one problem Harry seemed to encounter every time he and the werewolf were in close proximity was the fact that he'd phase out of reality; figuratively speaking. His mind would draw a total blank, his stomach muscles would clench, his insides churn and he would later awaken from this state with someone angry at him for ignoring them and a rather embarrassing problem to have to deal with in a bathroom cubicle on his next break.  
  
Before he realised it, Harry had been led to the Portrait guarded entrance to Remus' chambers. He was vaguely aware of the older wizard speaking the Password to the witch inside the painting, 'Noctiluca Puer', and then being carefully guided inside the small, warm and cosy room.  
  
Harry couldn't understand it; how could someone have this kind of affect on him? Much less, a man! He was confused, oh hell he was confused. These new thoughts invading his head, new feelings flowing through each nerve ending toying with him... playing with his mind. What was wrong with him? How could he possibly feel this way?  
  
"Harry?" the velvety voice cut through his internal battle and brought the Gryffindor back to reality.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't standing anymore. He was sitting at one end of an extremely comfortable sofa that had been stationed in front of the now roaring fire. Blinking a few times Harry looked around frantically, trying to remember where he was. After a few moments and the memories of the last 20 minutes returned to him, Harry groaned at the situation he'd managed to get himself into.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" the concerned voice of Remus Lupin once again brought him crashing back down to Earth. He looked at the older wizard, a small smile on his face but the blush on his cheeks still very red and very evident.  
  
"I'm fine Professor." This was all Harry managed to say to the Professor before he deemed that more than enough eye contact for one night and proceeding to look down at the hands in his lap.  
  
"You're nervous." The werewolf spoke softly, eyeing his student with fascination. He noticed Harry's head snap up at the statement and allowed himself a slight smirk. "Why are you nervous Harry?" The 7th year before him fidgeted under his golden gaze.  
  
"I... I'm not n-nervous" Harry stammered effectively throwing any chance of Remus believing he indeed, wasn't nervous out the window. He heard Remus chuckle lightly and scowled internally. How childish did he seem right now?  
  
"There are a few perks to being a werewolf Harry." The Professor said in an easy manner. "My senses are heightened to different levels, depending on how close the full moon is. As it is four days away, I am on a proverbial sensory overload. I can see around 15 to 20 times better than ordinary human eyes can see, I can hear..." He paused and let his eyes roam over Harry's chest. "The faintest sounds. I can even hear the heartbeat of another." The werewolf noticed with glee that the blush on Harry's cheeks darkened a shade.  
  
"And my sense of smell; that would be the most heightened of them all. It's how I could smell your nervousness, anxiety... as well of other," he allowed himself a small grin. "Intoxicating fragrances." The teenagers head snapped up and stared at the older wizard with wide, fearful eyes.  
  
"You c-can't smell all th-that c-can you?" He stammered again, slowly backing away from the werewolf. The latter simply smiled warmly and nodded.  
  
"Now, why are you so nervous around me?" This time Harry managed to actually get up from the sofa and start walking towards the door.  
  
"Well, sir. Thanks for the tea... um see you-''  
  
"Harry sit down." The Gryffindor stopped dead, not daring to move. All fear aside, the man was still Remus; a fantastic friend and still his Professor.  
  
He heard the man behind him sigh, rise from the sofa and pad across the floor towards him only to stop so close to him that Harry could feel the warm breath on his neck. The feeling sent shivers down his spine and made his insides turn to mush. "Tell me Harry," Remus moved around the boy-who- lived slowly, all the while, keeping himself mere centimetres apart from the other. "Whose smell do you find intoxicating?"  
  
When he stopped, he was directly in front of Harry and staring into that pair of amazingly bright green eyes. Those eyes had haunted his mind, infiltrated his every dream, constantly battled to be his number one thought, reminded him of whom the wolf inside him was pining for; reminded him of the one he was pining for.  
  
The 7th year Gryffindor stared into his Professors eyes and he'd had enough: enough of the queasy feelings in his guts, enough of the tension, enough of his damn problems occurring at 10 in the morning. He threw all caution to the wind, took the others face in his hands and planted his lips squarely on his Professors.  
  
Not expecting this sudden movement at all, Remus stiffened initially at the contact. Soon though, he realised that Harry Potter was attached to his lips and mentally whooped. He snaked his arms around the slender hips and rested them on the small of Harry's back. He parted his lips slightly to allow his tongue to roam across those soft lips, and then, when those lips had parted for him, he dipped his tongue into the others mouth to seek and capture control.  
  
The pair broke apart when the need for breath grew too strong and stood there gasping for precious air still in each others arms.  
  
"I... um..." Harry started but couldn't seem to find the correct words to finish so he fell silent. Remus moved one hand to cup Harry's chin then raised it so both pairs of eyes met.  
  
"You know... I'm sure that ranks as one of the best kisses I've ever had." He said with a huge smile and proceeded to make another addition to his 'best kiss list'. The list that currently contained one Harry J Potter only.  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
"Remus, please..." Harry begged, trying to will the same feeling in his gut that he'd experienced in his 7th year away. His breath caught in his throat as the older werewolf pressed himself up against him, sandwiching him between the walls and the wolf.  
  
"Please what?" whispered Remus letting his breath roll from his mouth and hit Harry's skin. He grinned at the shivers he felt go through Harry.  
  
"Will you two get a room!" A loud, very familiar voice called out from behind Remus. The wizard scowled at the intrusion before stepping away from the Defence Professor and turning to face a grinning Sirius, a pale Lils and James Potter and a hyperactive four year old.  
  
"Daddy! Daddy, daddy daddy!" cried Lily happily. Harry eyed his daughter warily.  
  
"Who gave her too much syrup on her pancakes?" he asked looking at the other adults. Both Lils and James pointed at the still grinning Sirius.  
  
"What?" He exclaimed. "She's a kid! She needs sugar!" he said trying to defend himself yet failing miserably.  
  
"She is a four and a half year old werewolf. Do you remember how Remus got when he ate a lot of chocolate in school?" The young father looked expectantly at his godfather then raised an eyebrow as the man tried to think back to his school days.  
  
"He kept us up all night after a Hogsmeade weekend Padfoot." James drawled sarcastically, taking full advantage of his younger age and better memory. "We ended up sat down in the common room till 3 in the morning waiting for him to finish trying to sing the words to New York New York!"  
  
Lils giggled behind her hand at the memory. Harry raised an eyebrow at Remus but shook his head and turned back to Sirius.  
  
"You can take her tonight them Mr. 'she's just a kid she needs sugar'. You can take the hyper werewolf, bathe her, put her to bed, make sure she stays in bed and have to get up at 6 in the morning to her jumping on you singing VERY loudly." He smirked at his godfather's impression of a goldfish.  
  
"Harry, she's your kid." The man tried but Harry shook his head.  
  
"Tonight, Remus and I are going to be talking and if you make one derisive comment about it... not only will you have one peeved werewolf on your tail in five days but you'll be playing play toy to Lily." He patted Sirius' head in a mocking manner. "Got it?" The man nodded solemnly and after a moment of complete silence he cheered up and picked up the four year old, putting her on his shoulders.  
  
"Come on! Diagon Alley awaits. Hey Harry, do the Weasley twins have a shop there yet?"  
  
~~~  
  
Authors notes:  
  
To clear up a few things:  
  
Lily and James are the same ages they were when they died, so I'm figuring pretty young... say around 20? 21?  
  
Sirius is the same age he was when he died also. I don't think I've forgiven JK for that. It was wrong on so many levels!  
  
Remus still aged with time. He was only in a coma so that didn't affect his age at all. He still looks good though.  
  
Lily wasn't there in the first chapter because she'd been through a very long and tiring ordeal, was extremely worn out and fell asleep on the sofa after a long meeting with McGonagall...  
  
So, a recap. James and Lily Potter return from the dead to find out they are 20-21 year old Grandparents, they have a four and a half year old werewolf Granddaughter. Their son is a werewolf and was mated with their school friend. Sirius is back also because I couldn't very well have James and lily back without bringing Padfoot back could I?  
  
[Latin Translation | Noctiluca Puer = Moon child.]  
  
*  
  
Thanks to Chris for your delightful words on the subject of male pregnancy. I'd like to point out to my audience that I am not re-defining the laws of reproduction I am simply bending the rules to fit my parameters.  
  
That should just about cover it I think. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It took me many headaches to write it! Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	5. Family Reunion

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Family Reunion.  
  
~~~  
  
"How can I face them now?" Harry asked no one in particular as he and the others all walked through Hogsmeade towards the Three Broomsticks. They were heading there to use the floo connection as Lily was far too young to be apparating.  
  
He had been fretting over what was going to happen once he met up with the Weasley's again. It wasn't that he was afraid of any physical damage they could inflict upon him. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself in that respect. No, it was more a matter of the emotional straight he was worried about. He just didn't feel up to doing battle with the red-haired family at the moment.  
  
"Harry you'll be fine!" Remus placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder and the younger wizard found himself leaning into the simple touch.  
  
"I can't deal with an angry Molly right now Remus." He sighed and they walked the rest of the way to the small pub in silence.  
  
When they arrived inside it, all activity stopped at once as everyone turned from their drinks to the party that had just entered. The silence was deafening and it made Harry feel a little uncomfortable. He unconsciously leaned closer to Remus, basking in the protective vibe he got from the other man.  
  
"Sirius, take Lily off your shoulders and take her through first." His godfather nodded and walked to the fireplace after removing the child from his shoulders.  
  
"It's Harry Potter!" Someone at the bar exclaimed with glee and the whole pub filled with whispers.  
  
"And... J-James and L-Lily P-P-Potter too... but how?" someone said to their left.  
  
"While we're young Sirius!" James spoke sharply. His friend nodded and picked up some floo power.  
  
"Diagon Alley." He spoke loud and clear then threw the power down. He and Lily dissolved in a burst of green flames. Harry went next, then Lils and James and finally Remus.  
  
Had Sirius been looking directly ahead, he would have seed a large family of redheads sat around three small tables pushed together enjoying a morning meal. Instead, he'd tripped up as he stepped out of the fireplace and Lily laughed uncontrollably as she stepped from the grate gracefully. Sirius scowled at her luck.  
  
"Paddy!" Lily said as her laughter died down. She eyed her hands with disdain. They were covered in soot along with her clothes. "Floo sucks!" Sirius snorted at the child and dusted himself off too. Not five seconds later, Harry was stepping out of the pub's fireplace. He merely waved a hand and the soot from his clothes had vanished. He then did the same for his daughter.  
  
"Manage alright pup?" He eyed his godfather who was still sprawled out on the floor.  
  
"Paddy fell!" Lily exclaimed dissolving into yet more laughs. Harry smirked down at the fallen man.  
  
"Yeh yeh make comments later. Help me up!" He held out a hand and Harry pulled him to his feet.  
  
"Paddy fell Paddy fell na na na na Paddy fell!" Lily marched up and down before her father and 'great'-godfather singing at the top of her lungs. Harry winced at the sound.  
  
"Lily Molly Potter! Calm down now!" He demanded and the girl halted immediately. Harry put a hand on her hand to show her he wasn't angry and turned back to face Sirius. "This is all your doing you know." He commented and the man before him waved a dismissive hand.  
  
"A mere formality dearest Harry. Now, where are the othe-'' He was cut off however when the fireplace gave a sharp bust of green flames and Remus stepped easily from its confines. He saw Sirius frown at this and grinned.  
  
"You fall again Siri?" The other wizard made an obscene finger gesture that made Harry slap him upside the head.  
  
"Not in front of the kid you mutt." But before Sirius could form a reply, the fireplace light again and out stepped Lils and James. When the pair were soot free, James turned to Remus with a hand held out. The werewolf scowled but handed his friend a small money bag. Harry watched the exchange in curiosity.  
  
"James bet me five Galleons that Sirius would fall when he reached here." Remus explained after seeing the look.  
  
"Paddy fell paddy fell paddy fell!" Lily began to sing again. She turned around to start marching around the whole room but stopped when she saw a large group of people with red hair staring at her and her family with wide- eyed expressions.  
  
"Come one Harry!" Sirius whined. "I want to see that shop! Hey Prongs, these twins have everything! Pranks galore!"  
  
"Oh no you don't Sirius Orion Black!" Lils warned the man. "No pranks! Minerva will throw a fit! She had enough to deal with when the bloody Marauders were running around the Halls of Hogwarts as teenagers! She does not need them playing tricks as adults too!" She stepped up to him and pointed a finger in his face. "No Pranks. Got it?" He nodded mutely.  
  
"Daddy?" Lily spoke up suddenly from behind the group. Harry turned around to look at his daughter only to come face to face with the family he'd been dreading meeting all day. He shook his head to clear his head of the fog that had formed. He tore his eyes away form the Weasley's and knelt down to talk to Lily.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked and the child looked up at him.  
  
"Why are the funny red haired people staring at us?" she asked innocently.  
  
"Lily, the funny red haired people can hear you, be polite." He said sternly before standing up to face the music, so to speak.  
  
One of the only two women at the table rose from her seat and slowly made her way around her family then stopped as she reached the father/daughter duo.  
  
"Harry? Harry i-is that really you?" The woman stammers and Harry smiled fondly. He could smell the nervous air she had about her, though it pained Harry slightly to know that he'd caused that.  
  
He didn't realise it until now but he had missed her terribly over the years. He missed the times she'd calm him down if ever he'd been upset over something, however trivial it may have seemed at the time. He'd missed how she used to worry over the slighted things. And perhaps most of all... the thing he'd missed most about her was how she used to hug him like she hugged her own children.  
  
"Yes Mrs Weasley, it's me." He spoke in a quiet tone, not sure of what her reaction would be. Then all of a sudden he was gathered up in those arms he'd longed to be gathered up in again and was hugged as he remembered being hugged when he was younger.  
  
Startled, he stiffened at first as he wasn't used to being held in such a way and hadn't been in such a long time. He prayed the woman hadn't noticed and sighed in relief as he realised she hadn't. He then proceeded to hug her back just as tightly as she was embracing him.  
  
After a few seconds, Molly Weasley held Harry at arms length, as If giving him the once over just to make sure he was fine in all physical aspects. Harry had an inkling that she would get to the psychological once over later on. The small smile on her face told Harry he'd passed her inspection and he was released form her hold. He then felt a sudden odd cold feeling and realised for the second time is as many minutes that he missed her motherly touch.  
  
"Merlin Harry, it's been five years!" Mrs Weasley exclaimed. "Where have you been? What have you been doing? Who have you been with? You left so quickly after the final battle – no one got the chance to speak to you. Remus was in a coma too... Oh Harry." She babbled on and on until Harry raised a hand, halting her tirade of questions, comments and other emotion filled remarks. He chuckled at her confused expression.  
  
"Mrs Weasley-''  
  
"Molly dear. Call me Molly." She said with a smile before motioning him to continue. Harry nodded his acknowledgment and carried on talking.  
  
"Molly, I will answer all of your questions I promise but first I need to introduce a few people. Please, sit." He raised a hand, gesturing her to taker her seat once more but instead she conjured another. After moving it so it was close to the table her family were still seated at, she sat down. Harry then conjured up six more chairs for each member of his own family to sit on and once everyone was seated comfortably, he began.  
  
"This," He put a hand on the back of the chair to his right. "is my daughter. Her name is Lily and she was born 6 month after the war had ended. By the time she was born I'd already moved as far away from the wizarding world as I possibly could. It was my plan to raise her on my own as I though Remus had died in the final battle." He studied the Weasley's in front of him and all eight present had equal levels of confusion plastered on their faces.  
  
"Why would you move away from home because you thought Remus had died?" The voice of an older looking Charlie Weasley spoke up and Harry looked in his direction.  
  
"I'll explain in a few minutes Charlie. Just let me get through these will you please?" The red head nodded and Harry continued. "Well, Remus you all obviously know. And as you also know these three, you are all under the assumption they are dead." He gestured towards James, Lils and Sirius. "I don't fully understand it myself to be perfectly honest, but somehow Lily and James Potter and my godfather are alive again." This vague explanation was met by a stunned silence.  
  
"How is it possible?" Bill Weasley spoke up after a minute, voice laden with disbelief.  
  
"Are you sure it's them Harry?" Fred said in a concerned tone of voice.  
  
"How can you be certain? They could be Deatheaters-'' but whatever the other Weasley twin was about to say next was cut short by an irate James Potter.  
  
"I wasn't murdered by Voldemort just to come back and be called a Deatheater! How dare you!" He bellowed.  
  
"James Potter hold your tongue!" Lils snapped at her husband. "They are all clearly worried for Harry, respect that and shut up or Prongs won't be your nickname because your animagus form is a bloody stag!" James paled immediately at the implied meaning of his wife's threat then proceeded to take her advice and shut up. Harry allowed himself a small smile at his parents then turned his attention back to the Weasley's.  
  
"Thanks for your concern George but think about it... I defeated Voldemort. Do you honestly think anyone would even try harming me or anyone close to me?" The twin thought a moment and then shrugged.  
  
"I guess not. You'd no doubt kick their a-'' George received a stern look from his mother and quickly rethought his next words. "Backsides if they did." He finished, casting nervous glances at Molly. The other Weasley's snickered at his sudden attitude change.  
  
"These two are indeed Lily and James Potter. This man is indeed Sirius Black. All of them are very much alive and very much themselves. Now," He looked at Molly. "In answer to your earlier questions: I have been living in one of the smaller Potter homes. The deed of which I found stashed away in the vault. I've been keeping myself busy by raising Lily, reading and various other interesting activities such as finger painting and potty training." He grimaced at that last one. That period in his daughters life would be one Harry would all too soon forget. And the werewolf heightened senses didn't do anything to help him at all. "Other than a few house elves, I've been with no one bar my child." He answered all of Molly's questions in one sitting, pausing only for breath.  
  
"Well, who is Lily's mother?" The woman asked and Harry was sure he heard Sirius snort, but dutifully ignored him.  
  
"Essentially, I am Lily's mother. I carried her, gave birth to her and raised her." He answered simply, noticing only realisation wash over Molly Weasley's face. This confused Harry. While he wasn't expecting a similar reaction to that which his mother had, he was expecting something more than... well, what he was receiving at the moment.  
  
"Who is the father then?" Bill asked before taking a long drink of his now cold cup of tea.  
  
Harry didn't answer straight away, wondering how the family were going to take the news. In the end Harry didn't have to speak up as Remus stepped up from his seat.  
  
"I am."  
  
~~~  
  
Sweet merciful Merlin! Last night I was banned from the computer for reasons I will not go into here, so I couldn't update or even type up anything! My apologies faithful audience, I'll try not to let it happen again. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took me a little time to decide what to put into it but it worked out in the end I guess. Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	6. Revelations

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Revelations.  
  
~~~  
  
Silence washed over the group and all the Weasley's stared at Remus in disbelief and horror. Harry couldn't bring himself to look at any of the people he'd once proudly called 'family'. Instead he looked at his daughter. The child was wisely remaining quiet and seemed content with playing with the tip of her braid.  
  
"Lupin?" Mr Weasley said in disbelief. Remus just nodded. "But. but you two." The red-haired man looked from Remus to Harry and back again. "You're twice his age!" he exclaimed loudly causing Harry to wince. "It's disgusting! It's not right! A man and a man. together. You two should be ashamed." He spat and then rounded on Lily. "And I feel sorry for that child. Having two parents like 'you'."  
  
"Now wait just a minute Arthur!" Sirius rose from his seat to stand behind Harry's. "Remus and Harry's relationship has nothing whatsoever to do with you and Lily Certainly isn't!" He said, glaring at the man he would've once described as one the gentlest men he knew. The other man glared straight back.  
  
"I'll not have such 'filth' in, around or anywhere near my home!" Arthur snapped and it was then that Molly decided she'd had enough.  
  
"Arthur Weasley! Calm down this instant!" she yelled at her husband, effectively silencing him. "Harry is part of our family! How dare you say such things!" Her hands-on-hips form complete with menacing, threatening eyes was enough to force Arthur into silence. He kept his mouth shut and settled for glaring at the far wall.  
  
"So, you and Remus are together then Harry?" Bill asked, being the third to come out of his shocked state and Harry turned his attention to the eldest Weasley child.  
  
"No, we're not." He answered. "We were mated, bonded as life-mates. soul- mates. But when I thought he had died, I severed the bond so I could focus on Lily." The red head nodded in understanding then smiled at the saviour of the wizarding world in what Bill hoped would at least ease any fears Harry might have of him being against him.  
  
"How can you be so accepting of this Bill?" Demanded the youngest male Weasley angrily making everyone turn around to face him. "It's. its filthy!" This only caused the adults around that 'disagreed' with his thoughts to glare daggers at him.  
  
"Ron shut up." Fred spoke up from across the table. "You're his best friend! You of all people should be accepting of it." Reasoned the twin but Ron was having none of it.  
  
"No! I 'was' his best friend. This is. its just revolting!" He then got up from his seat and after sending a sneer that Snape would have been proud of in Harry's direction, apparated from the pub leaving everyone staring at the empty space he'd been standing in.  
  
Bill was at a loss. On one hand, he whole-heartedly agreed with Harry. He thought it was Harry's right to love who he wished to love and be with whoever he wished to be with. Especially given the life the younger wizard had been through. But on the other hand, he had his family. His family was actually famous for their loyalty to one another, their devotion to each other and this episode just now; though it wasn't enough to break the unit up totally, it would certainly cause a huge rift very soon if all wasn't settled.  
  
The oldest Weasley sighed internally, wondering just where he should place his loyalties. His thoughts were interrupted however when his little sister screamed out in frustration.  
  
"Bill how could you!" The young woman exclaimed, anger flashing in her eyes. Bill merely sat there, looking calmly at the irate Weasley. "Ron's your brother! How could you side with. with 'him'." She said the word 'him' with so much venom that out of the corner of his eye, Bill could see Harry wince.  
  
"Ginny sit down! I refuse to take sides. I just think that Harry shouldn't be discriminated against because he's gay! I don't even think he is. a werewolf determines his mate by scent. Did you learn nothing at Hogwarts?" Harry smiled at the man's words. It was true that he'd never really been attracted to anyone other than Remus but the thought of him not being gay had never really occurred to him. until now that is.  
  
"Mate or not. it's abnormal! And you're taking his side!"  
  
"Virginia Weasley!" Molly finally cut in having had quite enough of shouting. Ginny stood still inwardly fuming but remained silent, glaring at her brother and Harry in turn. "Will you all calm down! Harry is apart of our family no matter what!" She rounded on Ginny. "As there is a child here you will watch your language. Is that in anyway unclear?" The younger female Weasley shook her head and sat down, folded her arms across her chest and glared at the wall.  
  
"Ginny we know things have been tough on both you and Ron, but you can't take everything out on Harry, Remus and their child." Charlie spoke up, looking at his little sister in understanding. The younger Weasley looked back at her brother and her hard look softened. She turned around and for the first time since her arrival, really looked at the four year old Lily.  
  
"I." Ginny felt her face break out in a smile at the sight before her. The child was still fascinated with the end of her braid; plaiting it into smaller braids and twirling it around her small fingers. The red-haired woman turned to Harry and attempted to show her apology through her eyes as well as through her mouth. "Harry I. I'm sorry. I just-'' The man held up a hand to stop her, his face alight with happiness.  
  
"It's ok Ginny. I'm sorry to have sprung this on all of you like I have. It wasn't fair of me, I know that." He sighed and put his head in his hands. "I only hope I can talk Ron around all this."  
  
"I don't have any problem with anything either Harry!" George exclaimed as if just realising he was also a part - small or not - of the conversation.  
  
"I concur." Fred spoke after his twin.  
  
"Don't worry about it Harry. Ron's not mad at you. It's just the timing. You always did have crappy timing Potter." Charlie grinned wryly from across the table and Harry mock-scowled in return.  
  
"Hold on. Did that woman, um. Mrs Potter? Call that guy, Prongs?" George broke the uncomfortable silence after a few minutes, staring at James curiously. James himself looked at the twin confused at how he could know the nickname.  
  
"Yes. I'm Prongs." Harry's father said slowly, worried slightly. He heard both Mrs Weasley and Harry groan out loud. "What's wrong?" he asked perplexed.  
  
"If you're Prongs, then who's Padfoot? Moony and Wormtail?" At this, everyone stared at both twins like they were Lord Moron and Duke Slow of Dunceville.  
  
"You really don't know?" Harry spoke up, his face showing true shock at what he'd just heard.  
  
"No." The twins said in unison.  
  
"Should we have?" Fred asked.  
  
Charlie was the first to crack; the small smile on his face transformed into a fully-fledged grin that made his jaw ache. He then started to laugh uncontrollably. Bill followed then Harry, Molly, Ginny, and then everyone else joined in. all bar the twins who were now staring at them all with slightly worried expressions.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" George demanded half angrily/half dumbfounded. Harry got himself as under control as he could be before answering.  
  
"You should know." He began, still chuckling lightly. "They. you." but that was as far as he got before he dissolved back into fits of laughter.  
  
By now both Fred and George were both getting extremely annoyed. How could they know who the other three were? And why in Merlins name was it so funny?  
  
"Ok! Everyone. SHUT UP!" the twin whose jacket had a small, gold 'F' embroidered into the lapel yelled and the laughter died down, albeit at a slow pace. This fact only succeeded in annoying both Weasley twins more so than they currently were.  
  
"Why in Merlins name are you all bloody laughing at us?" George demanded heatedly, glaring at each of them in turn. Finally after a minute of relative silence and a few cough-covered laughs Remus cleared his throat.  
  
"Fred, George." The man was having a hard time keeping his face straight, that much was for sure. "I. well, I am actually, Moony." The twins just looked at him like he was a psychotically crazed loon that desperately needed admittance to St.Mungo's.  
  
"Professor Remus J Lupin. a Marauder? Moony?" Fred spoke up, disbelief lining his tone thickly. The werewolf nodded while internally he desperately fought to keep the grin from spreading across his face.  
  
"And I," Sirius piped up cheerfully. "Am Padfoot." This man didn't even bother trying to hide the huge, triumphant, proud smile stretching across his face. And if he didn't try to hide his original expression, he certainly wasn't going to hide it when the smile on his lips grew further at the sight of the gob smacked faces of Fred and George Weasley.  
  
"So, what about Wormtail then?" Fred asked and Harry perked up slightly. The young werewolf turned to his daughter and knelt down at her feet.  
  
"Pup. Tell Fred and George who Wormtail is." The child looked at the twins in fascination. She got up from her seat and walked over to where they were sat and motioned them to come closer to her as if she was going to whisper in their ears. They both leaned over and waited for their answer.  
  
"RAT!" she suddenly yelled causing the twins to yelp loudly in surprise and jump just over a foot in the air. The surrounding adults burst out laughing - including Arthur - as the boisterous child marched around the twins and chanted at the top of her voice "Rat rat rat rat." changing the sound level of her voice to create a melodic chant.  
  
"Alright pup!" Harry called out through the dying stages of his laughter. "No more Lily. You may have burst the twins' ear drums." A few snorts were heard across the table and both twin brothers glared at everyone again.  
  
"Wormtail was Peter Pettigrew." Moony finally told them after a few more minutes of trying to calm Sirius and James down. The brothers looked at each other then back at the three men.  
  
"So you're the Marauders?" The trio nodded and identical grins spread wide across Fred and George's faces.  
  
"Alright then!" Harry stood up and clapped his hands together, successfully grabbing everyone's attention. "As much as I'm sure we all want to hear you two bow down and pledge your undying gratitude to my father, my godfather and my mate for their ingenious invention that was the Marauders map and express to them just how much it had aided you throughout your first five years of Hogwarts. we have an alley to get re-acquainted with." He smirked at the twins' crestfallen expressions before moving to talk to their mother.  
  
"I'll come by and visit some time soon Molly." The woman rose from her seat and pulled the young man into a fierce hug.  
  
"Where are you staying Harry?" She asked into his shoulder. He pulled out of the hug and smiled serenely.  
  
"I'm the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts."  
  
"Oh really?" the woman exclaimed happily. "Congratulations! I will try and get up to see you at the weekends. And that lovely daughter of yours." She turned her attention to the 4 year old stood behind her father, knelt down on one knee and gathered her up in a warm hug.  
  
Lily froze for a moment but after a smile and a nod from Harry, she returned the hug. The child had heard a lot about the Weasleys' from her daddy. He'd told her they were among the nicest people you could ever dream of meeting; they were kind, loyal, friendly. but the show she'd witnessed today contradicted what she'd heard - for a small part anyway. She was positive though, that her father would be explaining everything to her soon. He always did.  
  
"Lily, go with your Daddy." Harry said after the girl had been released from Molly's clutches. Remus picked her up and carried her to the back of the pub where the remaining Marauders and both Lily's waited for the other wizard to join them.  
  
"Is something wrong Harry?" Bill asked from his seat at the table. Harry shook his head, smiling slightly.  
  
"I wanted to know where Ron lives now. I need to get things sorted out with him maybe find out where Hermione is." At the mention of his other best- friends name, Harry could feel the temperature in the room drop several degrees. The face's of the Weasley's weren't hiding anything either. He looked around confused at their attitude. "What? What's wrong?"  
  
"Harry." Molly put a soothing hand on his shoulder. "Hermione actually." she trailed off, looking away from the man. Charlie stood up and walked around his family, stopping as he reached the saviour of the wizarding world. He handed Harry a small slip of paper and offered a small, forced smile.  
  
"That's where he lives. He'll be in after 8 on a weekday evening and after 6 on a weekend evening. He can tell you all you want to know. It's not our right." Harry nodded at the cryptic words. With a wave goodbye and yet another hug from Molly he left the pub with his family.  
  
Back at the table where the Weasley's were once again sat, Molly watched the exit-way where the man that she thought of as a son and his own family had not a minute before stepped out of. Heartache and sorrow were clearly visible in her rich, chocolate brown eyes as she thought of what Harry may feel when he finally finds out the news about Hermione.  
  
~~~  
  
I apologise for the delay of this chapter: my readers can all blame my father, as he's a great tit and gave me this cold I'm currently suffering from.  
  
Anyway, many many thanks to Chris for his aid as usual and to my new friend Callie for agreeing to edit it all. If any mistakes are there... blame her :] Alright don't but ho hum. Also for the additional help Callie provided me with (Chapter name) – thank you again. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.  
  
Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	7. Mint and chocolate goodness

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Mint and Chocolate Goodness.  
  
~~~  
  
As Harry stepped onto the cobbles of the bustling horde of shopping witches and wizards that was Diagon Alley, his mind went over what had just transpired. What had happened to Hermione that had made the Weasley's all react in that manner? Did she suddenly turn psycho-killing/super-villain and threaten to kill their family? Harry was sure as he was a father that his best friend wouldn't do such a thing so he was back at square one; not a clue as to what the hell was going on.  
  
Harry mused over possible explanations for the Weasley's behaviour, becoming increasingly frustrated. He was so lost in thought, he didn't notice a pair of small hands clawing at his robes, jumping at him and screaming "ICE CREAM! ICE CREAM!" in a high pitched voice. Harry then stumbled as something blocked his path. He immediately jerked out of his blank state and looked down to see what had obstructed his journey. Before him stood a very agitated 4 year old, with her hands on her hips and her eyes fixed angrily upon her father.  
  
"Pup?" he blinked, trying to get himself back to reality. "What's the matter?" Choosing to ignore the snickers coming from his 'family', Harry climbed to his feet and dusted himself off.  
  
"ICE CREAM!" The child stamped her feet against the ground; eyes still locked on the man in front of her.  
  
"What about it?" Harry asked dumbly now scowling at the laughed emanating from Remus, Sirius, Lils and James. He even saw the girl roll her eyes at him.  
  
"I. Want. Ice. Cream!" She stated slowly, saying each word clearly just so he could understand better.  
  
"I'll take her, Harry", came the voice of Sirius, stifling his laughter. Harry sighed, then walked over to a nearby table. He slumped into the seat, and watched as his godfather led away his skipping daughter. He soon found his thoughts returning to the matter of the Weasley's, and before long, his mind was swimming with useless theories.  
  
"Oh I give up", He said out loud. His family suddenly turned to face him, with confused expressions on their faces. They had been thoroughly enjoying watching Sirius across the street, who was struggling to contain his 4 year old charge, having just made the discovery that there was more than one flavour of ice cream.  
  
"What is it Harry?" Lils spoke softly as she sat down next to her son. The young man just leaned forward, pinning his elbows on his knees and placing his head in his hands.  
  
"It's Hermione." He breathed sounding defeated. "Something's up with her and I don't know what. I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about this." He felt an arm wrap itself around his shoulder and not caring who it belonged to he leaned back into the touch.  
  
Lils smiled faintly at the young man in her arms. Holding her son like this made her once again feel like the mother she was over 20 years ago. It at least eased her thoughts that Harry was deliberately avoiding any contact her either James or herself. She could understand his hesitation, she was well aware he'd had to grow up in the Dursley household; that thought alone sickened her. But having said that, she was still his mother, she loved him like the son she'd sacrificed herself for back when Voldemort ripped them apart. And nothing on Gods Green Earth would ever change that fact.  
  
"It'll all turn out fine, Harry, just you wait." she said, reassuringly patting his shoulder. She then looked at him and smiled what Harry thought was the most comforting smile he'd ever seen. He suddenly felt a warmth inside, but it was a warmth far greater than any butterbeer could provide. He felt happy and carefree, and for the first time since his family returned, a feeling of contentment washed over him, leaving him smiling back at his mother. It only just dawned on him that he had everything he had ever wanted - his very own family.  
  
"Mum, I..." Harry stopped. He had said it without realising. He felt his face burning, and tried to look away, only to discover there was no escape. He breathed a sigh of relief when everyone's attentions were stolen by the return of a tired-looking Sirius, complete with an extremely happy child on his shoulders. She was holding two ice creams - one in each hand - and was licking each cheerfully in turn. The table laughed as Sirius put her down on the floor, and then collapsed into a nearby chair, looking positively exhausted.  
  
"And just think Padfoot." Remus began with a sly smirk at his school-time friend. "You'll be dealing with that attitude all night tonight." Everyone was sent into yet more hysterics at the horror-stricken look on Sirius' face.  
  
"Daddy look!" Lily bustled happily over to her father and stuck an ice cream cone under his nose. "Chocolate and Mint! Try it daddy!" She urged the man to lick the creamy substance by pushing it towards his mouth. He wrinkled his nose a little before sticking his tongue out and swiping it across its mint and chocolate marbled surface. Resisting the urge to wretch at the taste he'd learned to despise over his years at Hogwarts, he smiled happily at his child.  
  
"It's great pup. Why don't you go force Prongs to try it?" He smirked at his father's wide-eyed expression. He now realised where his distaste for the flavour originated from. Lily cocked her head to the side, a confused expression playing on her face.  
  
"Prongs?" She asked. Harry pointed to James and her eyes lit up. "Grandpa!"  
  
Harry laughed as he watched his daughter happily run towards James, then forcefully push an ice cream cone in front of his face. The entire table erupted with laughter at the expression on James' face as he tried his utmost to please his granddaughter.  
  
"Oh, it's um... Wonderful", James said to Lily, forcing himself to swallow the small lick of ice cream. He smiled at the child, who was looking none- too-convinced at his manner, and patted her head. She smiled back, and then cast her eyes around the table, pondering who should be next to try her ice cream. Her eyes fixed on Remus, and she skipped over to him.  
  
As Lily took her ice cream to her other Daddy, Harry looked on with an amused smile. The child seemed to indeed get her love for the infernal frozen, coned cream flavour from Remus as he saw the other werewolf take a huge mouthful of it from the diminishing tower Lily had in her hand. He laughed when he saw the four year old scowl at the remnants of her treat.  
  
"You know you just set yourself up for a day of constant whining, don't you?" The Hogwarts Defence Professor plastered his most innocent look on his face when his daughter's father glared at him. Though the effect of the glare was cut rather short by the fact that his mouth was covered with mint and chocolate flavoured ice cream.  
  
"Potter." A voice of someone he'd never thought he'd hear in this lifetime again called out. Out of the corner of his eye he saw James and Sirius glaring at something that was obviously stood behind him. The only move Harry made was to fold his arms across his chest and plant a smirk on his face.  
  
"Snape." He called back unmoving. He saw Sirius move to get up and raised a hand, successfully keeping the animagus from reaching an upright stance. "Stay." His voice laced with warning and amusement at the subtle joke aimed at Sirius' animagus form.  
  
"You resurfaced from your pool of self pity then?" The man behind him teased but to Sirius, James and Lils' surprise, Harry simply carried on smirking.  
  
"My pool of fatherly duties Snape. Don't mix the two." He heard the other man snort.  
  
"And you've brought... guests, with you. Remus." Harry could only assume Snape nodded in his former mates' direction because he saw the werewolf nod back with a smile from his position still sat with his daughter in front of him.  
  
"Yes, well my guests sort of found me." Harry replied without turning around to face him. He heard Snape sniff behind him, and a mental image of the sneer he'd become used to during his time at Hogwarts flashed across his mind.  
  
"What do you want, Snivellus?" Sirius spat angrily and Harry turned his head to face his Godfather.  
  
"Hold your tongue Sirius. I'll warn you once, understood?" The older wizard didn't reply verbally but nodded his head without relinquishing his glare at his school-time rival. James, Harry saw, was about to say something also but stopped when Lils slapped him in the arm and levelled him with a look that said all the words Harry had just spoken.  
  
"Long time, no see Snape." came the voice of James, with a hint of amusement  
  
"Let me assure you, it is not long enough, Potter." Snape sneered, without moving his steely gaze from Sirius, who responded to the look with a rude gesture.  
  
"Severus..." Harry's voice was once again thick with warning. He really didn't want an all out battle in front of his child. He could hear Snape move around his chair to come to face to face with him. "I can easily shut you all up if I want to. Now either keep your snide comments to yourself or risk my removing your ability to speak then conveniently forgetting to replace it again." The three men before him all nodded their heads and he clapped his hands together cheerfully.  
  
"So, how have you been Severus?" he asked the man as if they'd been long lost friends. Sirius and James just stared dumbly at them both.  
  
"What the-'' The canine animagus began but was cut off with Remus put a hand over his mouth.  
  
"Severus and Harry made their peace with each other along time ago Padfoot. You two should do the same." He nodded in James' direction also; making sure his other friend heard loud and clear. The two best friends looked from Remus to Harry and Severus, and then back to Remus.  
  
"We made our peace with each other in our first year Moony." James said innocently and was rewarded with Lils slapping him upside the head. Remus rolled his eyes at them all.  
  
"With Severus, James. Make your peace with Severus." Repeated the man with ice cream round his mouth.  
  
James rubbed his head, mumbling incoherent protests - but after a meaningful glower from Lils, he rose from his seat, and walked as slow as he possibly could over to Snape, with his gaze looking suspiciously like a glare moving from Remus to Lils and back again. Snape himself was looking decidedly uncomfortable at having his old rival come within three feet of him.  
  
"Ahh..." The former Gryffindor awkwardly held out his right hand towards Snape whilst scratching the back of his head with the other. He plastered a silly, forced smile on his face and spoke. "Truce, Snape?" The Slytherin looked at the offered hand scathingly then cocked his head from one side to the other as if inspecting it on its cleanliness. James realised what he was doing and scowled. "I've washed it, Snape." He growled and the other man smirked.  
  
The former Potions Master removed a black leather glove from his own right hand and at a deliberate slow pace, moved his hand to capture James'. When both hands were firmly clasped Snape couldn't resist wrinkling his nose in a mocking look of distaste.  
  
The two former foes locked eyes and a brief period of awkward silence passed. The awkwardness was only broken when Harry, bemused with the manner of both parties, snapped a bread stick and threw each half at his father and former potions teacher. Sirius, Remus and Lils all laughed out loud when they saw a startled Snape and James turn around to face what had attacked them with a mixture of confusion and anger etched on their faces.  
  
As James walked numbly back to his seat, still nursing his head, Remus turned to Sirius, who was still laughing at the expression on Snape's face, and spoke in a voice laced with amusement  
  
"I don't know why you're laughing, Padfoot - You're next."  
  
A look of complete disgust and horror fell on both Sirius' and Snape's faces as Remus' words reached their ears. The pair glared at Remus and Harry before turning to eye each other suspiciously. Once more, an awkward silence washed over the group, with the tension between the two slowly increasing with each soundless minute.  
  
Their suspicious looks were now very much glares, and each was trying to unnerve each other. Snape's mouth moved slowly and his face screwed up, as if chewing something particularly vile, and Sirius ran his tongue over his teeth, occasionally spitting on the ground below him.  
  
The silence began to make the entire group feel uncomfortable, with every tiny sound seeming multiplied, until suddenly, the voice of a bored 4 year old shattered the tension, bringing the group swiftly back to reality.  
  
"Daddy, Daddy!" The child yelled, causing almost all concerned parties to jump slightly. Harry just chuckled at his daughter before motioning her to come around the table to him. She bounded happily over to her daddy with sticky hands and ice cream all over her face. Shaking his head he waved a hand over her and she was as clean as she was this morning.  
  
"Much better. Come on Pup." He hoisted her up and planted her on his knee then turned his attention back to the two adults that had yet to move from their positions. When Remus and his own eyes locked for a brief moment the same idea seemed to run through both of their minds causing them each to plaster scheming grins on their faces.  
  
Discreetly Harry manoeuvred his hands into a position best suited for the task he was about to complete. Lily was oblivious to anything around her as she played with the Phoenix pendant around Harry's neck so he had no trouble in keeping her quiet.  
  
Concentrating on the two unmoving figures, he flexed both his index and middle finger on each hand slightly then watched the show unfold.  
  
Sirius and Snape were so busy glaring daggers at each other that they hadn't noticed anything wrong until they heard the awe-struck voice of a 6 year old boy walking passed the table they were stationed around.  
  
"Look Momma! They're flying!" The child had called out loudly, pointing upwards.  
  
Frowning slightly, Severus looked around and something stuck him as odd about his perspective of the Alley; he wondered why he could see over a few of the low roofed shops. He then looked back at Black and saw the man staring wide-eyed at something below him. Fearing the worst, Severus slowly dropped his gaze in the same direction of Sirius and only then did he notice exactly why the other man had become so pale.  
  
It seemed that the pair had been levitated about 6th in the air by some unknown force. Or rather, a known, annoying force.  
  
Severus scowled down at the grinning form of Harry Potter and folded his arms haughtily across his chest, sticking his nose in the air - more so that it already was. Below him he could hear the occupants of Harry's table laugh at the attitude.  
  
"Come now Severus. Shake hands with Sirius and truce. If you can manage my father, you can cope with Sirius.." Harry called up from his seat with that same silly grin on his face.  
  
"I refuse to do anything whilst floating in the air like this Potter. Get me down this instant!" He demanded, expression unwavering.  
  
"Harry, let me down!" Sirius called out from his position opposite Severus. The Slytherin cracked an eye open and saw Black's distressed state. The site made his lips twitch and curve upwards slightly. The man was looking around everywhere to grab a hold of something but was able to grasp onto all of nothing. "Harry James Potter! Let me down NOW!" Black demanded but Harry merely carried on grinning cheekily up at him.  
  
"Sirius. I will let you down when you and Severus call a truce and shake hands!" When the pair in the air made no move what-so-ever Harry sighed; he moved the fingers on both hands closer to each other a little which in turn forced Sirius and Severus to move closer to one another. "Please?" They made no movement. "It would mean a lot to me if you two could stand to be around each other for longer than 10 seconds." The last ditch effort on Harry's part caused both air-born parties to look down at his pleading expression and then back to each other.  
  
Releasing a breath that he hadn't realised he'd been holding, Sirius held out his hand towards his school-time rival. After a few seconds, Severus too reached out his hand to grasp the others and when their hands shook firmly the crowd that had been gathered below watching in wrapt interest burst into applause.  
  
Sirius being Sirius milked the situation for all it was worth and started to bow in every direction. Severus being Severus folded his arms across his chest when the glove for his right hand had been replaced and acted as if the people below were not actually there.  
  
Harry beamed at the two men and with another flex of his knuckles; he lowered the pair slowly back down to Earth. Once grounded both of them allowed themselves small smiles at the feeling the cobbled road gave them.  
  
"Thank you, I mean it." The wizarding world's saviour was still beaming at his Godfather and former Professor. "Alright, Severus. While you are here I would like to ask you something." The Slytherin raised an eyebrow at the man with the child on his lap.  
  
"Ask away." Harry took a deep breath before asking what he did next.  
  
"Will you be Lily's Godfather?"  
  
~~~  
  
Hello fine people, you all honour me with your interest.  
  
I would like to thank Chris for co-writing this chapter with me. His aid was most appreciated/needed/-insert more adjectives- . :] He also edited as so any mistakes... blame him. I hope you enjoyed reading it.  
  
Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	8. Playparks, Vases and Glares

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Playparks, Vases and Glares.  
  
~~~  
  
The black-clad man stared dumbly at his former student. He tried to speak, but the words got lost on the journey from his brain to his tongue. He was unsure of whether he had heard correctly and went over it repeatedly in his mind in case he was mistaken. But it was to no avail. Snape found himself incapable of speaking for the first time in years, and a silence washed over the group for a brief period. The silence was broken by Harry laughing at the state his former Professor had gaped himself into.  
  
Snape blinked himself back to reality then put up his infamous, expressionless mask before turning to the laughing Gryffindor.  
  
"Pardon?" was all the man could hope to say at this point in time. He raised an eyebrow at the seated man and waited for confirmation that he had actually heard accurately. A minute later; Harry calmed himself enough to provide Severus with a response.  
  
"I asked you if you would become Lily's Godfather-'' The young father was cut off however when his own Godfather interrupted, sputtering angrily.  
  
"Why him?" The man cried, glaring irately at the man whose hand he'd not 3 minutes before shaken. "Why would anyone wa-''  
  
"Don't you dare finish that sentence Sirius Black!" Lils suddenly exclaimed, her eyes narrowing in his direction.  
  
Sirius sulkily slumped deeper into his seat, spitting angrily at the ground beside him to show his discontent. He glared at Snape, mumbling incoherent protests under his breath and ignoring the look he was at present receiving from Lils. It seemed James was in a similar state of displeasure but wisely kept his mouth shut so as not to risk an angry confrontation with his wife.  
  
Snape himself was moving his gaze swiftly from Harry to Remus, to the 4 year old child currently stationed in Harry's lap and then finally, back up to her father once again. The Slytherin conjured a chair to sit in rather than use one of the spare placed around the table and collapsed into it. He ran one gloved hand over his pale features before looking up at Harry once more.  
  
"I follow on what Black said... Why me?" If anything at all, Sirius looked appalled at the thought of Snape following on anything he'd said but was soon shot down by another sharp look from Lils. Severus didn't see him however, as he was staring straight at Harry, waiting for his answer.  
  
"I've been thinking about it for a while; because I left straight after Voldemort was gone, I was still carrying Lily. When she was born my thoughts weren't immediately bound around her wiccaning. It's only been this passed year that the notion even occurred to me." Harry explained as he unconsciously played with the end of Lily's braid. "I sat around the manor wondering who would be best fit for the role. At first, I thought Ron. One, because he was my best friend and it had obviously worked for my own father and godfather." They all heard Lils snort under her breath but no one commented. "But decided against it after reasons I don't want to go into. Anyway, my next choice was you – Severus Snape." The man in question simply raised an eyebrow, motioning for Harry to continue.  
  
"I chose you because first and foremost, I trust you." Sirius again muttered a derisive comment and again, he was ignored. "You saved my life Lord knows how many times and I truly believe you would make a fantastic godfather to her. Please Severus?" He pleaded for the following 5 minutes before the man had finally had enough of the compliments he was receiving.  
  
"Alright! I will be her Godfather." Snape exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air signalling his defeat.  
  
Across the table, Sirius almost leapt out of his chair to give Snape a large piece of his mind there and then but yet another meaningful glare from Lils soon caused him to rethink. James looked nervously over to Remus, who to his surprise, was smiling brightly at Harry and Snape as they warmly shook hands. He wondered whether the shock of recent events had finally taken its toll on his son, causing him to do things he'd regret later.  
  
James cast his eyes around the table, finally fixing his gaze upon Lily. By now, she had grown bored of Harry's pendant, and was trying to grasp the decorative vase in the middle of the table. After consecutive failures, she lay back against Harry, looking dejected.  
  
"Well I must be on my way now Harry." Snape said as he rose from his seat to leave. Harry grasped a hold of his child and planted her on the table top as he also stood up to see the man off. Lily's face broke into a wide smile as she reached over and plucked the vase from its perch. She gazed at it from every possible angle, turned it upside down and even shook it to see if there was anything inside.  
  
"I'll contact you soon then. It was good to see you again Severus." Harry shook the other man's hand and smiled brightly. Snape allowed himself a small smile in return before walking away from the table.  
  
As Harry made to sit back down in his chair there was a great 'smash' coming from directly behind him. He quickly turned around to find his daughter with her hands grasping at nothing, frozen in mid-air. Her eyes were wide, fearful and were staring at the shattered remnants of the vase that had been in the middle of the table when they'd arrived. Slowly, she moved her gaze from the broken vase on the ground up to meet her father's eyes.  
  
"Daddy, I'm sorry!" She suddenly cried out, bursting into tears right there on the table. Harry leaned forward and picked up the sobbing child, holding her close to his chest as he whispered reassurances in her ear.  
  
"It's alright sweety. Shh, come on Lily. Everything is fine pup." He re- positioned her so her head was leaning on his shoulder but if she wanted to she could see what was happening in front of them. "Look pup." He pointed to the shards of ceramic-like material still scattered all over the cobbled road. The child sniffed loudly before turning to look in the direction of his finger. "Daddy can fix it Lily, look." He clicked his thumb, his index and middle fingers together.  
  
Lily watched in awe as the pretty vase she'd been playing with repaired itself right there before her eyes then remain hovering a few feet from her in the air.  
  
"See?" Harry cooed, the smile on his face growing a few millimetres.  
  
"Fixed?" The small child asked hesitantly as she threw a worried glance back at Harry. The man chuckled and kissed her forehead.  
  
"All fixed pup. You're not in any trouble." At the last statement she seemed to brighten up considerably and began once again reaching out for the vase.  
  
Laughing at her Granddaughter, Lils reached over to quickly take hold of the still-air born item before then placing it back in its place in the middle of the table. Lily scowled at her play-thing being taken out of her reach, causing everyone to laugh cheerfully.  
  
"So, where do we want to go first?" James perked up as soon as he realised the tense atmosphere had subsided.  
  
"PARK!" Lily suddenly shouted from the confines of her father's embrace.  
  
"Park?" Harry said, wondering where they would find a park in Diagon Alley. He looked at the table's occupants and noted with suspicion that Sirius was looking everywhere but at him. "Padfoot, you didn't happen to put the notion of a possible park visit into my daughter's head, did you?" The older wizard looked at him startled, a mock-outraged expression on his face.  
  
"Now why would I, Sirius Black, do a silly thing like that?" He ended the question with a nervous chuckle and a weak, apologetic smile back at his Godson. The man carrying the child shook his head bemusedly.  
  
"Where is the nearest park?"  
  
Sirius shrugged and again smiled his apologies. James looked back with a dumb expression, and Lils appeared to be deep in thought. Remus sat silently, gazing at the floor and Harry frowned - imagining Lily's response to being told that they didn't know where any parks were. He looked pleadingly at Lils, but she shook her head and raised her hands in the air, signalling defeat. Then finally, when all hope seemed lost, the child's other father stood up and smiled at the wide-eyed little girl in Harry's arms.  
  
"I know one not so far from here." he said, walking around the table to Harry. "Follow me".  
  
Remus ruffled Lily's hair, and began walking down the busy streets of Diagon Alley. After pausing for a moment, Harry looked around at his parents and godfather, then grinned.  
  
"Come on then!" he said cheerfully, before turning to follow his former mate along the chaotic streets that lay in front of him.  
  
As the group followed the leading werewolf through the Alley, they were stopped at least three times by people questioning them on the sudden appearance of James and Lily Potter. The couple in question had blanched and mumbled something incoherent. Harry had taken a more direct approach; he'd stepped in front of his parents and narrowed his eyes in a threatening manner at the person who in turn, quickly got the message and fled the area.  
  
When Remus had finally slowed down to a relatively normal pace, Harry caught up with him and walked at his side. He slipped Lily to the ground so she could walk either with them or with the other adults in their party. It turned out she'd wanted to annoy Sirius to carry her on his shoulder.  
  
"Where are we going Remy?" Harry asked, using the pet-name he'd used when they were together. The other man looked at him with a small smile on his face.  
  
"A park my parents used to take me too before... well, before I was bitten." He cast his eyes down to the ground, saddened at the painful memories of his childhood. He looked up, startled when he felt a soft hand wind its fingers between his own then clasp tightly, giving Remus a small sense of comfort. The greying blonde smiled ruefully at his companion.  
  
"Remus!" a long, familiar, whining drawl from behind them interrupted their 'moment' for the second time that morning.  
  
"Yes, Padfoot?" Remus sighed, refusing to let go of Harry's hand as he looked around.  
  
"How long is this trip going to take?" The child laden animagus huffed as Lily played happily with his hair. He scowled at the mere thought of people messing with his hair but he couldn't do anything to stop her so settled for the customary scowl he'd perfected when something didn't go his way and he was powerless to do anything.  
  
"We're here Paddy." The man grinned back at his friend before going on to step over the small lip of concrete that separated the street from the park's confines. Remus smiled as he looked around at the place he'd visited as a child. He moved to sit down on one of the benches that were stationed by the swing set, Harry, James and Lils on his heel. Remus and Harry sat side by side on one of the wooden seats and the other couple sat on an adjacent one.  
  
As the group placed down their belongings, they watched as Lily dragged Sirius to the swings, laughing as she demanded he accompany her on them. Sirius cast a glare back at the group, mumbling protests at being left with the young werewolf. Harry laughed at his godfather's response, and watched as Lily happily climbed onto the swing.  
  
"Serves you right for given a werewolf sugar first thing in the morning, Padfoot", Harry teased, receiving a frown in response. Having made his way dejectedly to the swing, Sirius caused the group to erupt into further laughter, having succeeded in almost falling off the piece of apparatus.  
  
Remus chuckled at the scene. Out of the corner of his eye he could se James and Lils talking in hushed tones into one another's ears then turned to the man beside him to also start up a conversation.  
  
"She's beautiful Harry." He spoke softly while looking at his school time friend being chased around the entire park by a hyperactive 4 year old. "You did a fantastic job raising her."  
  
"It wasn't a job to raise her." Harry smiled up at the other werewolf. "I mean I had all the money I could want, I had a magnificent home and Dobby." Remus snorted at the name of the eccentric house elf and shuffled closer to the other man. "She is magnificent, she's powerful and I can't imagine life without her." He confessed honestly.  
  
"She is truly amazing. I'm just sorry I missed her growing up. Merlin you can't believe how sorry I am for leaving you like I did." He breathed, regret lining his voice. Harry grasped his hand again and squeezed it in hopes it would reassure that everything was forgiven.  
  
"Remy you were in a coma. You couldn't exactly help. And besides... you're here now. So is Padfoot, Mum and Dad. We're a family again and even I wouldn't change that for anything else. So stop worrying, ok?" he sent the other werewolf a mock stern look before continuing to watch his child.  
  
"She's got him wrapped around her little finger already doesn't she?" Remus laughed as Lily dragged Sirius towards the slide and then forced the other wizard to go down it after her.  
  
"She can wrap anyone around her finger. It's one of her many distinguishing traits." The man grinned.  
  
"What was her first word?" Remus asked quietly, leaning his head on Harry's shoulder.  
  
The other man waited a moment before answering. It wasn't that he didn't know the answer; it was merely that he wasn't sure on what the older werewolf's reaction would be. Of course, the man wouldn't be angry... only shocked a great deal.  
  
"Her first word was Moony." Harry whispered. "Well, Moo'ey, but Moony was what she was aiming to say. That much is obvious." He was right. Remus had slipped into a stunned silence. He stared wide-eyed at his four year old child wondering just how she'd managed to make 'him', her first word.  
  
"Had you mentioned my oh-so-appropriate nick-name before to her?" He questioned.  
  
"I'd actually called you Moony a lot when I was carrying her, you know, when I was pregnant. But after she was born I always called you Remus, or Daddy. Depending on how I was referring to you." He paused for a moment. "When I heard her say it my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe she'd said it. When I asked her to say it again she said 'Moo'ey' quite happily before clapping her hands together and then slapping them down into her dinner causing it to land squarely in my face." Remus snickered at the mental image and it earned him a light swat on the arm.  
  
"I'm sorry I missed it. It must have been amazing." The werewolf sighed.  
  
"I have it up here Remy." Harry tapped his temple with his index finger. "I also have a pensive. We can look over all her 'firsts' this evening if you like." He tilted his head and kissed the other man's hair softly.  
  
"I'd like that. "  
  
~~~  
  
Right first of all, quite obviously, I would like to thank Chris, for his co-authorness and whatever falls under that subject. Also on my list of thanks, Callie, my good friend; her editing skills and chapter naming aid. And my review people, I thank all of you too!  
  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Review!  
  
Thank you!! 


	9. Precious Memories

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.  
  
Not Alone Anymore – Precious Memories.  
  
~~~  
  
The remainder of the outing was spent visiting each store in Diagon Alley in turn. The last store on their list was the Twins' Joke shop; the shop that Harry himself still had shares in.  
  
After Lily had yelled at both Sirius and James for purchasing some of the items there and warning them both not to pull anything at the school, the party of six made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron to use the Floo again. When they stepped back inside the small pub however, they were met with around 30 reporters.  
  
Groaning out loud, Harry quickly picked up his daughter, making sure her face was carefully out of the line of view of the many flashing cameras around them both.  
  
"Harry, go first and we'll follow." Remus whispered in Harry's ear. The man smiled his thanks before moving through the hoard of reporters, not caring it he pushed any of them out of his way.  
  
"Mr Potter welcome back. Is this your daughter?" One man asked from his right but Harry ignored all questions, focusing on reaching the fireplace he'd earlier that morning stepped out of.  
  
"HEY! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" The booming voice of Sirius Black could be heard all over the bar but no one paid him any mind.  
  
"Mr Potter, where have you been for five years?"  
  
"Mr Potter, William Lennet – Daily Prophet, can I ask you-''  
  
"No you can't." Remus snarled from a few feet behind Harry and the Prophet reporter glared at him, keeping his mouth shut.  
  
Growling in irritation, Harry stepped into the fire place, took a handful of floo powder and threw it harshly to the grate below him saying "The three broomsticks." Through gritted teeth.  
  
*  
  
"I don't believe them." James stressed as they all walked back up to Hogwarts. Behind him Harry had kept his eyes downcast.  
  
"You get used to them dad." He muttered dejectedly. In his arms his child was starting to show signs of sleep and he smiled down at her small form. "You alright pup?" He asked quietly. The girl opened her eyes slightly.  
  
"M'fine Daddy. M'tired." She admitted before allowing her eye lids to drop completely.  
  
"I know the Potter family is well known in the world but that was ridiculous." James continued to rant.  
  
"Pipe down Prongs. Harry's famous, deal with it." Sirius patted his godson on the shoulder, offering to take Lily from him. Harry carefully handed the man his daughter, grateful of the break. He didn't mind carrying Lily; it was just that he was beginning to feel tired also. He felt an arm wind its way around his waist and leaned into the touch.  
  
When the group reached Hogwarts they were confronted by an extremely annoyed-looking man of 6ft with black hair and tanned skin. The Headmistress of the school was stood a few feet behind him with her arms folded across her chest; she too looked annoyed but it was focused solely on the man in front of her.  
  
"Minerva, what's the matter?" Harry asked as he stepped up to the front of the group with Remus still attached to him. The Headmistress gave him a sympathetic look before opening her mouth to speak. Her explanation however was rudely cut short by the tall man.  
  
"I am Minister Michael Kenaz." The man said promptly causing Harry to narrow his eyes.  
  
"Minerva?" The saviour of the wizarding world ignored the 'Minister' and looked again at the Headmistress. This seemed to annoy the man more so than he already was. And Harry wasn't inclined to care.  
  
"The mini-'' but again, the woman was cut off by Minister Kenaz.  
  
"Mr Potter, if you please..." Harry snapped his head in the Minister's direction, anger in his eyes.  
  
"If you interrupt the Headmistress again I'll make sure you never interrupt anybody else for the remainder of your career. Do you understand, Minister?" The tall man gulped and nodded. Harry's attention was back on Minerva who looked as though she was trying her hardest to hold in a smile.  
  
"The Minister is here to speak with you and Remus regarding your child. And also he wishes to speak with your parents and Sirius about... well, you can imagine." The Defence Professor nodded his thanks then rounded back on the Minister.  
  
"Let me get one thing perfectly clear to you Minister. My daughter has nothing to do with the ministry. Neither my husband nor myself has anything to do with the ministry, therefore you will be leaving us alone. I cannot speak for my parents or Sirius but I suspect that they wish to be left alone too. Now if you don't mind, my child is tired, she needs to get some sleep." He turned to leave and got all of 3 paces before he was called back.  
  
"Mr. Potter we WILL speak this evening. Your daughter is a danger to the students here and the situation WILL be resolved... Tonight."  
  
It happened so fast that the Minister didn't have time to blink. Harry turned around, grasped the man by the collar and shoved him up against a near by wall. No one looked to be trying to stop him.  
  
"Now I may not have been around for five years, so I don't know you or what you're about. But no one, and I mean no one tells me what my daughter is. She is not a danger to anyone, neither is my husband... or me for that matter." His eyes flashed amber for a split-second before reverting back to the vibrant green that blazed with anger. The Minister's eyes widened in fear.  
  
"M-Mr. P-P-Potter... release me at once." Kenaz demanded, albeit nervously. He obviously began to feel more confident because he had the guts to say what he did next; even though it was a mistake. "You should respect the Minister of Magic, Mr. Potter." The man spat and Harry let go of his collar.  
  
Kenaz stood up straight and flattened out the creases caused by Harry's assault. When he looked up again he found that 'Mr. Potter' hadn't moved away from him at all. In an attempt to go around the obstruction, he side- stepped and made to move forward but stopped as a hand placed itself squarely on his chest.  
  
"Minister Kenaz." Harry drawled, sounding very bored with the situation but no less angry than he was a few moments ago. "You will forgive me if I don't jump into the ministry's lap, won't you?" He turned the Minister around so they were again facing one another. "Now I'll say this once and once only. I don't know what it's like for you up in your fancy office with a secretary to see to your every whim, a junior that likes to kiss your arse at the first opportunity but," He spoke right over the Ministers protests, "down here in reality... we give respect where respect is earned." The young father took a threatening step towards Kenaz. "Now I earned the respect I receive; I defeated Voldemort for you all to live your peaceful and calm lives. But tell me Minister, what you did besides win an election... What did you do that was so great... that I have to respect you?" Sufficed to say, the man remained silent. "I thought so. Now leave me and my family alone." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked down the corridor, his family in tow.  
  
*  
  
"Sirius don't forget to give her this." Harry handed his godfather a vial of the Lupus Potion from the cabinet in his quarters.  
  
"Harry, I'll be fine with her!" The man reassured with a chuckle as he took the vial. "Don't worry. You go talk... ant 'things' with Remus." He ducked the swinging hand aimed for his head and left the room via the Portrait hole with the four-year-old in his arms.  
  
The young werewolf heard chuckling from behind him and turned around to see Remus stood leaning back against one of the sofas with his arms folded across his chest. Sighing, Harry walked over and stood mere inches from his former mate.  
  
"Remus, I..." The other man wrapped his arms tightly around Harry's slender frame. "Gods I've missed you so much." He whispered into Remus' chest.  
  
The older wizard led them both through the rooms and towards the bedroom where they then sat comfortably on the bed.  
  
"Where's your pensive?" Asked the older werewolf and his companion gained a thoughtful expression for a fleeting moment.  
  
"It's in the cabinet with the Lupus Potion. I've got a different method of viewing my memories. So," He said, "what memory do you want first?" Harry asked as he leaned back against the headboard.  
  
"Lily's first smile." came the immediate reply from the other wizard. Smiling, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated, occasionally chanting the odd incantation in Latin.  
  
After a minute, he opened his eyes to see a large screen stationed at the bottom of the bed. On the screen, images flashed one after the other at a fast pace.  
  
"Lily, baby; first smile." The young father spoke clearly. The flashing images stopped on a shot of Remus and Harry's first kiss before moving on. Within two seconds an image of a small baby appeared on the screen.  
  
~Screen-image~  
  
Harry sat on a plush, sheepskin rug in front of a roaring fire in one of the many lounge rooms of the Potter Manor. Before him sat a red and white chequered bean bag and on that sat a small baby. The infant had a wild head of hair, ebony in colour. The child's eyes were such an unusual colour that Harry had only seen them before on one person and one person only.  
  
"You have your Daddies eyes, Lily." He cooed; face alight with love and compassion.  
  
He reached out a finger and gently tickled his daughter's stomach causing her to wriggle. "Yes, you do." His voice had taken on a rather silly-cooing tone. He repeated the words and continued to tickle the child. It happened then.  
  
Her eyes were wide, filled with the happiness and innocence only a child of her age could possibly possess. She opened her mouth and gave her father a large, gummy grin. A grin that he'd remember forever.  
  
~End Screen-image~  
  
The picture on the screen stopped with the happy sight of the infantile Lily smiling up at her Daddy.  
  
"How did it feel?" Remus asked in an almost inaudible whisper. Harry looked at him and smiled sadly.  
  
"It's indescribable. She just smiled like that and... I couldn't believe it. I wish you could have been there." He snuggled up further to his former mate and the other man made no move to turn him away.  
  
"So do I." They both sat there for a while before moving on. "Her first steps."  
  
For the next hour Harry showed Remus almost all of Lily's "firsts" as well as a few other amusing yet embarrassing memories. They laughed as the child threw food at her father's face; they looked on proudly as she pulled herself up using one of the arm chairs by a fire, turned around and walked three steps towards Harry before falling down on her bottom.  
  
The evening was an eye opener for Harry; he'd never shown anybody these before and to now share them with his former mate was... the feeling inside was completely beyond description. It hit home that he was no longer alone, he had a family that loved him. He had his child, his parents, his godfather and his partner. And he loved every minute of it.  
  
That night, the pair fell asleep in each others arms, underneath the covers of the bed in Harry's bedroom.  
  
~~~  
  
With thanks to Heather for editing or... 'beta-ing'. Iuno, but thank you. Also, I'd like to thank Chris, as always, for his input.  
  
This chapter was relatively short due to the fact that my brain was mush throughout its entire development so I apologise if it doesn't meet up to standards.  
  
I hope you enjoyed it. Review! :]  
  
Thank you!! 


	10. Silence

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.

Not Alone Anymore - Silence.  


* * *

Harry stood outside a dark green door with the brass-number 58 nailed on at eye level. He'd been standing in this same spot for the past 10 minutes and so far, a family of four had descended down a set of stairs that he assumed lead to the next floor up, walked around him, given him an odd look for being stood there like the idiot he felt, and descended the set of stairs that led to the next floor down.

A young blonde had stepped out of the green door with the brass-number 59 behind him. He'd turned around, startled and smiled slightly when he saw her. The blonde had smiled brightly back at him, not bothering to disguise the fact that her eyes were practically devouring him. Harry had raised an eyebrow at her attitude and turned back to number 58. He'd felt the blonde's eyes on his back for the better part of two minutes before she finally gave up and went down the stairs.

So now here he was, 10 minutes after he'd arrived and still not moving.

It was a Saturday evening and he'd set out from Hogwarts at half past 6. After being assured by numerous parties that Lily would be 'completely' safe there without him - not that he doubted Hogwarts safety. He was stalling. He knew it, they knew it. Hell, even Lily knew it, though none chose to comment.

He'd left, gone to Hogsmeade, apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and gone out into muggle London. The address that Charlie had given him was in one of the many apartment buildings. Finding the place was easy; he just dragged it out longer than needs had to be. Finding the correct door was simple. It was the knocking and entering that had him stalled.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see his friend. Because he did. He honestly and truly did. It was the look in Molly's eyes when he'd mentioned Hermione's name that sent shivers down his spine and made him not want to hear whatever Ron had to say. He'd been constantly asking himself what could have possibly happened to her.

He'd killed Voldemort and left. Apparated from the battle-field and never looked back. He'd not thought to check on his friends. Could there have been an accident? Could a Deatheater have attacked her? God he hoped not. He now regretted more than ever not looking back. Ron, he knew, would never forgive him for not at least checking they were all fine before leaving. He would never forgive himself for being so selfish.

He clenched his right hand into a fist and took two steps towards number 58.

Another thing was bothering him. Why would Ron even contemplate living in a muggle area, let alone a muggle-infested apartment building? He was confused. It was officially official. Confusion was quickly becoming his second middle name. Right after nervous. He was not looking forward to this conversation at all.

Before he thought better of it, he rapt quickly upon the space just below the brass 58. He was half tempted to apparate out of there as quickly as he possibly could, but something made him stay rooted to his spot. He wrapped his arms around himself. Not necessarily to keep out the cold, but in a vain attempt to keep out any and all confrontations in the near future.

Whatever news he was about to receive, something deep inside him told him… the look Molly had in her eyes told him… the looks on all the Weasley's faces told him that he would not like it, whatever it was.

But he wasn't running away anymore. He needed this sorted out. He needed his best friends back.

There was the sound of a door handle being turned and he turned his gaze to where he knew Ron's head would be. It took seemingly forever for the door to open and reveal the man that was once his most trusted friend.

When the green barrier was finally pulled back, Harry saw the first boy he'd ever made friends with… only now, that boy was very much a man.

Ron had heard the knock at the door and growled in frustration. He was working of paperwork, he didn't need interruptions. He threw down his quill and rose from the chair at his desk. He then worked his way through his apartment until he was stood before the door. Something, he couldn't put a finger on it exactly, but something was telling him what was about to happen would prove important to him in the long haul.

So he opened the door.

And there he was.

"Ron." Harry said quietly. His arms were still wrapped around himself but his eyes were locked with the redhead's. Blue eyes narrowed.

"How did you get this address?" Ron snarled, but Harry didn't back down from the gaze.

"Ron, we need to talk." The werewolf tried again.

"Who?" Ron repeated and his 'former'-friend sighed.

"Charlie." Came the answer. "They all reckon we need to talk." He explained and the man inside the apartment raised an eyebrow.

"You're here because 'they' think we need to talk?" he asked sarcastically.

"You know damn well I didn't!" Harry snapped. "I came here because I've missed you, you prat. I came here because we 'do' need to talk! I came here because no one else would tell me where the fuck my other best friend is!" His voice was increasing in volume with every statement and a few heads popped out of doors down the hall, frowning at the noise. Both Harry and Ron showed them each the 'finger'.

"Why didn't you come earlier? Say, five years earlier!" Ron fumed, ears reddening with anger.

"I couldn't Ron. I had to leave. I couldn't stay a moment longer." Harry ran his hand down his face and sighed. "You have to understand Ron-"

"NO!" the redhead yelled. "I don't have to understand anything! All I have to understand is that when you got your job done, you left. You were out of there and never once looked back. LITERALLY!" At the last exclamation, Harry frowned in confusion.

"I didn't look back Ron, I know I didn't-" he didn't get further as Ron cut him off.

"NO! Behind you. I saw you facing Voldemort, and behind you… Hermione was duelling a Deatheater." His voice lowered in volume and a far away look washed over his face. "You had just killed him when the Deatheater put her under the Cruciatus. The battle was so loud, that one scream couldn't be singled out. But…" He looked up at Harry with tears in his eyes. "She was right behind you." He whispered. "You were stood staring at Voldemort's body while she screamed and writhed around on the ground behind you."

"And then I apparated out." Harry finished for Ron. Horror, regret, sorrow, guilt, remorse… they were all present in his eyes at that moment. Tears streamed down his face as realisation hit him like a 2ton anvil reacting to gravity from a 100ft height.

"She's been in St.Mungo's ever since."

Without saying another word to Ron, Harry turned around slowly and began to walk away from his once-best friend. The first step he descended nearly sent him flying but he just managed to keep his balance. The rest of the steps were easier but he had the overwhelming urge to launch himself down all five flights with every one he stepped down.

When he reached the ground floor his eyes travelled to the pigeon holes of all the residents in the building. After checking no one was around, he conjured a letter in an envelope that was addressed to Ron. On the letter inside the envelope were two simple words.

_'I'm Sorry.'_

He tucked the letter inside the pigeon hole for number 58 and left the building. As he walked down the path, he could feel the burning gaze of emotional blue eyes on his back from what would be Ron's 5th floor apartment window. But he didn't look back.

He made his way slowly to St.Mungo's.

##

When he arrived at the wizarding hospital, he was instantly recognized. Almost anyone who saw him tried to speak with him, but he ignored all questions, comments and other forms of speech and made a beeline for the front desk.

The witch behind the desk looked at him and Harry remembered her as Padma Patil, the Ravenclaw half of the Patil twins. She seemed to know why he was here and wrote something down on a piece of parchment, guessing correctly that he didn't want to speak or be spoken to at the moment.

She handed him the slip of parchment and he looked down at it. He read it silently.

_'Fourth Floor - Spell Damage.___

_The cubicle next to Frank Longbottom._

_Tell her I miss her._

_P.Patil__- reception.'  
  
_

He looked up from the note and graced Padma with the slightest of smiles. He nodded his goodbye and made his way towards the lift. But as he approached it he noticed the throng of bodies waiting to step onto it so he took the stair route.

Pushing open the door that had the sign 'Stairs' on it at eye level, he stepped through and began his climb to the fourth floor.

As he stepped onto the landing he took a deep breath. He did not want a repeat of his short trip here in his fifth year. He didn't come here to see Lockhart, Alice and Frank Longbottom… he was here for Hermione. No distractions. So taking one last deep breath, he pushed open the door to the ward that went by the title "Spell Damage".

As soon as he entered, he was cornered by a nurse.

"Visiting hours ended at 6pm Mr…" the nurse glanced up at him from the clipboard she was holding and gasped. Not at the scar on his forehead, nor his 'very' public face. No, she gasped at the level of pain in his dull and lifeless green eyes. He handed the note Padma gave him to the nurse and after a swift skim over the contents, she showed him quickly into the ward where his friend was being kept.

Not once did she speak. And for that sheer level of understanding, he was eternally thankful.

She led him into the same was he'd ventured into back in fifth year with his friends. They arrived at the ward and the nurse left him at the door. He took the first steps onto the carpeted floor and started when the door closed with a 'snap'. He turned to look at the wards patients and noticed that Lockhart was no longer there. For this small thing, he was unbelievably thankful.

He walked down the centre isle and noticed that Alice Longbottom was asleep on her bed. Her husband was in the next bed shuffling some wrappers of small chocolates around on the tray at the end of his bed. He looked up to see Harry staring back at him. And in that one single second, Harry swore he could see the true Frank Longbottom looking at him with thanks and appreciation. Why Frank would look at him like that, he was unsure, but Harry smiled and nodded his head at Neville's father before the elder Longbottom went back to shuffling papers.

Harry walked down to the next cubicle and stopped at the foot of the bed.

Hermione lay there on the bed with her wrists and ankles restrained. Her hair had grown longer and less bushy than he remembered. She started out of her nap as Harry started walking around and down the right of her bed. She looked at him with curiosity but he couldn't see Hermione. Not her soul.

And it killed him inside to see her like this.

He reached out to run a hand over her brow and the simple touch broke down all his defences. His knees gave way underneath him and he dropped to the floor with his hand still resting on her forehead. And then, he cried.

He cried for Hermione. He cried for not being able to sense her need. He cried because he was too selfish to realise she was behind him, screaming in agony. He cried for not being here. He cried for Ron.

He cried for the pain. He'd take all the pain she suffered and multiply it tenfold only if it would bring her back. But it couldn't be done, and he knew it. So he cried.

He didn't know how long he'd been on the floor beside her bed but the next time he made movement, was when someone was lifting him up. No, two people were lifting him to his feet. He felt the intruders begin to lead him away but he shrugged them off and leaned heavily on Hermione's bed.

He traced a hand over her cheek and found it damp. She'd cried too.

He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before moving so his lips were poised over her ear. He then whispered at a volume only Hermione should have heard.

"I love you 'Mione." He said. "I'm so sorry." He kissed her once more on the cheek and stood up straight. Turning around, he saw Sirius and James stood there with sad expressions. He looked between them both, took one step forward and threw himself in Sirius' arms. And there, he cried himself to sleep.

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Yes. I apologise for the wait but my brain has been over heating dammit! . Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Only one or a possible 'two' chapters left of this fic. Review!!

Thank you!


	11. Resolving Issues: The Morning After

Disclaimer: I own nothing you may recognise in any of my fics. I simply borrow the odd character and play with them a little.

Not Alone Anymore – Resolving Issues: The Morning After.

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When Harry woke up, he was surprised to find himself wound very tightly around his Godfather. They were both lying on what looked to be Harry's bed at Hogwarts, underneath the blanket. He sighed a touch too loud in relief that he wasn't devoid of clothing. Even at his age, that would be far too odd.

Realising he would not be able to get free of his Godfather, he manoeuvred himself into a more comfortable position. It was only when he had stopped moving however, that he realised Sirius was actually awake. He figured that his sigh has awoken the man. He looked into blue eyes and grinned cheekily.

"Sirius, you really are a very attractive man but this is taking it a little too far, don't you think?" His Godfather chuckled lightly before his face lost all mirth and his eyes took on a saddened, haunted air. It was at that moment that Harry's memories form the previous night flooded back into the forefront of his mind.

Numbly, he disentangled himself from his Godfather, swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat there with his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands. After a few moments of silence, he ran both hands over his face and rose to his feet.

"I keep screwing things up with James don't I?" He asked the man on the bed as he looked out of a near by window. He heard the bed covers shuffle slightly before he received his answer.

"How do you mean?" Sirius asked as he leaned back against the headboard.

"I mean he's my father. Anyone in the situation I was in last night wouldn't have run into their Godfather's arms and cried themselves to sleep. They would have gone to their father." His Godfather sighed.

"I'm sure James understands why you did what you did. You were upset, and you know me a little better than you do him. I know that's an awful thing to say but it's true. There's no use denying it." He got up from the bed and walked over to his Godson. He then pulled the werewolf into a loose embrace. "He understands." He kissed Harry's temple and released him.

The younger man turned around and looked at his companion.

"I know, I just... I know what I'd feel like if I'd have been in his position with Lily in mine. That's all." With a sigh, Harry walked towards the bathroom door, stopping as his hand rested on the door-knob and turning to face his Godfather once again. "Tell Remus, mom and dad I'll be down soon." At Sirius' nod, Harry continued into the bathroom, closing and locking the door firmly behind him.

Once alone, the young father walked over to the shower area and turned the faucet so the water released was at the perfect temperature for him. He stepped away from the spray for a moment and removed the clothing he was still wearing from the previous night. When he was devoid of all clothing he stepped in front of the mirror above the sink and stared at his reflection with a blank expression.

She'd been tortured.

All this time; in a St.Mungo's bed beside Frank Longbottom.

She'd been tortured and it had been occurring while he was but a few meters from her.

He had wanted to have her as Lily's Godmother. Snape was Godfather and he'd planned on asking Ron to be one also but he wanted more than anything for Hermione to be Godmother.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but none did he shed. The wizarding mirror wisely refrained from commenting on Harry's attire, or lack there of.

Turning away from his reflection, a look of self-loathing and utter disgust on his face, he walked over to the shower and stepped inside. Only then did he allow the tears to fall, mingling with the hot, harsh spray of water cascading down his body.

When Harry stepped into the Great Hall a full hour after he had awoken his features were carefully schooled so none of the students and most of the staff would sense anything was amiss. However, the front in place did not escape certain people's notice.

A few students smiled brightly at him, wishing him a good morning as he walked slowly down the centre isle. He returned the gesture with a small, forced, but believable smile and a slight nod before continuing to walk. He had gotten about half way across the hall when he locked his eyes with those of his young daughter. He could immediately see the difference wash completely over them.

At seeing her Daddy, Lily beamed with barely suppressed glee. She had missed him the night before and had refused to go to sleep without him being in the castle. She had however, much to her chagrin, fallen asleep in her other Daddy's arms whilst waiting. So when her Daddy entered the hall this morning it took all she was not to go bounding down the centre isle and jumping into those comforting arms.

The smile on her face had quickly faded though, when she had looked into his eyes.

She could tell her Daddy was sad and it made her confused and sad to think it. Ignoring the calls for her to return to her seat, Lily stood up, pushing her chair away, got on her knees and proceeded to crawl underneath the head table. She appeared at the other side of said table, got to her feet and ran down to her father.

Harry smiled sadly the sight of his concerned child as she ran down towards him. He knelt down on one knee and as soon as said knee touched the floor his arms were filled with a whole lot of Lily. He grinned despite himself and hugged her just as tightly as she was hugging him.

"Where did you go Daddy?" the girl asked as Harry rose from his position, Lily still locked in his arms, and began his journey to the head table again. He positioned her so she was resting on his right hip with his right arm holding her upright in it position around her back while his left hand kept her leg in place while he walked.

"I went to the hospital, sweety." He said in a low voice he knew only Lily could hear. He didn't want his affairs to be any more public than he did when he was a student at the school. The child looked at his face and frowned.

"Why?" she asked and his sad smiled returned.

"I went to see Aunty Hermione." He answered.

By now He was settling in his seat beside Remus and the empty seat that was obviously Lily's. He deposited the child on the chair she had just vacated and turned to face the breakfast that he knew he wouldn't be able to eat.

"How was she?" Remus asked, having heard the last sentence his partner spoke. Harry turned a pained look to him.

"She has a bed next to Frank Longbottom, you do the math." He spat out bitterly, apologising to Remus with his eyes.

The older wizard lowered his eyes to the table, a sadness that hadn't been in them since Sirius' death burning at full force. He felt a hand on his shoulder and jerked slightly before facing Sirius himself.

"Remus..." He began but found he didn't have any words to say that would be of comfort. The werewolf appreciated the sentiment all the same and nodded his head thankfully. He then rose from his seat and proceeded to exit the hall.

Harry was about to follow him when the Headmistress' hand fell on his arm. He looked at the hand and then at the woman curiously.

"Let him be for the time." Was all she said before turning back to a Professor on her other side.

Harry stared longingly at the door his husband had just passed through and sighed. He knew he shouldn't have been short with Remus and there was little, logical reason for him to have been, but the emotions that were raging through his system had given him no choice. His eyes fell to the table once again.

"Sirius, will you take Lily out this morning around the grounds?" He waited for his Godfather's acceptance, kissed his daughter's forehead and exited the hall via the door behind the end seat of the Head table.

Sirius shook his head, his heart going out desperately to both his friend and his Godson. He turned to his God-granddaughter... of sorts and plastered a genuine smile on his face.

"You done Princess?" He asked her. She looked from him to her half empty plate of pancakes and back to him again. She then grinned and nodded her head vigorously. Laughing, he picked her up and proceeded to carry her from the hall, exiting via the large entrance doors.

"We going out Paddy?" Lily asked the man, an excited smile on her face. He laughed at her enthusiasm as they stepped into the Entrance Hall.

"Sure we are, Sweety. Can't be going against your Daddy's orders now can we?" He joked and the child in his arms pretended to think for a moment before making a face and shaking her head, all the while, her laughter ringing throughout the hall.

All of a sudden though, her laughing ceased. Curious, Sirius glanced down at her to make sure she was alright only to find her staring directly ahead. He followed her gaze and stopped dead. There on the first landing at the top of the three steps that lead up to the main castle door, stood a dishelved looking Ron Weasley. Blue eyes narrowed as the older wizard prepared for the verbal attack he assumed was coming.

But instead of words being crossed, the child in his arms wriggled from the grasp he had on her and landed on the floor. She then proceeded to run to the other man.

"Uncle Ron!" She shouted out, remembering the face of the man her father had shown her in photos many-a-time.

Momentarily stunned at the new development, Ron didn't react to the child that was closing in on his location but soon enough, he shook his head free of the mist that had formed and bent down on one knee to meet her. He didn't open his arms to her, but kept them limp at his sides, not sure how to deal at that moment.

Lily practically flew across the distance between them and threw her arms around the red haired wizard's neck. "Uncle Ron." She repeated, tightening her grasp.

Tears welled up in his eyes; tears that started to fall when eyelids dropped and his arms finally wound their way around the child before him. "Lily." He whispered into her dark locks.

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I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review what you've read and I will be most appreciative.

Written by Messrmarauder.


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